


Another Day in Paradise

by MissDorktastic



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Jurassic World Fusion, F/M, I usually write crack so action/adventure is VERY new, Oblivious Pining, Some OOCness, The Raptors are Direwolves, an abundance of cliches, follows similar themes to the first Jurassic World, yes I went there
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-06
Updated: 2019-11-29
Packaged: 2020-04-11 21:51:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 27,453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19118392
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissDorktastic/pseuds/MissDorktastic
Summary: Sansa Stark loves being the Deputy Operations Manager to Jurassic World. The dinosaurs are amazing. The guests are (mostly) all smiles. And living on a beautiful, tropical island is pretty great too.What she doesn't love though—her incompetent boss, Joffrey Baratheon, for one thing.Then there's the matter with Theon Greyjoy, InGen's raptor trainer and old family friend—and well, she isn't sure how she feels about him.Everything changes when the unthinkable happens and instead of worrying over the minute details of running a world-class theme park, Sansa is just trying to stay alive.Yeah, she definitely doesn't love that.





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> Well, here I go again, starting another fic. I usually write crack and fluff but I'm going to try my hand at action and adventure and, honestly, I'm not sure how it will go. I'm a couple of chapters in, just to give myself a buffer because there's always a point where I really struggle and already I'm noticing such a difference in pacing with writing something like this. Truly a learning process. That said, I'm guessing it'll roughly be 10 chapters (?) and I'm hoping to post weekly (maybe even bi-weekly if I can get it together enough). I hope you enjoy!

* * *

 

It was the window-rattling roar that woke Sansa up—right before sunrise, every morning, like clockwork.

Lady was reliable like that—that's what the Control Room techs called the aging T-Rex. She was an original, one of first animals from the old park, and she was Sansa's favorite.

Another blood-curdling roar, shorter but more impatient. It was feeding time and Lady wanted everyone to know it.

Sansa groaned, groping for her phone in the dark to check for any texts or emails. There were a few but nothing that needed to be dealt with right away. She turned her head and gazed out of her large bedroom windows. It was still dark out, stars twinkling with just a hint of sun over the ocean's horizon.

Another beautiful day in paradise. She smiled to herself. She would never get sick of that view, one of the perks of being Deputy Operations Manager—a pretty apartment on the top floor with an ocean view.

She got up, stretching, her back popping. She peeled off her pajamas then stumbled in the darkness looking for her running clothes. Minutes later, she was dressed with her hair pulled back, fiddling with her smartwatch and then she was out the door.

The air was already muggy when she stepped outside, smelling of salt water and island flowers. The birds weren't awake yet but the frogs were, croaking in that lulling way Sansa liked. She swatted a few bugs away as she walked through the apartment complex, slowly warming up her body for her run.

The complex was large and beige, housing most of the park's employees, less than a half mile west from the main resort and by the time Sansa made it to edge of the property her legs felt ready.

She took a left from the driveway and started her usual route, easing into a steady run along the rocky beach then up into a small, gravelly trail through the woods.

Four years ago, when Sansa arrived on the island, she could barely run two blocks but when the metabolism of her youth finally died down combined with her undying love for sweets and red wine along with an increasingly stressful job, she decided to listen to the advice of friends and try running.

She wasn't a natural athlete. In fact, her family still couldn't believe she ran daily—she could barely kick a ball without falling over but running didn't take any complicated coordination, just one foot over the other. And gradually, she built up to a five mile route that was enough to curb the nervous energy it took to manage a massive, dinosaur amusement park.

It was a smooth forty-five minutes of meandering through lush, green hills then alongside the towering electrified fences, catching glimpses of snoozing triceratops and groggy brontosauruses. This was another perk—worth the six, sometimes seven-day work weeks and the claustrophobia of living on a small resort island.

By the time she returned to her apartment, the sky was the color of grapefruit and the sounds of people stirring echoed across the complex's courtyard.

She was dripping with sweat. One thing she didn't like about running—she sweated more than a 300lb NFL linebacker training under the hot sun. After a solid minute of wrestling with her soaked sports bra, she jumped in the shower and began the arduous process of getting ready.

A non-perk of her job—she had to look professional and perfect for the many meetings she had with investors.

 _It's about presenting a flawless image_ , Cersei had told her in her cold and detached way.

After almost an hour, her makeup was natural but glowing and her long, red hair laid perfectly curled over her right shoulder. She stared at herself in the mirror and set her shoulders.

“I'm going to have a wonderful day,” she said aloud.

She took a deep breath.

“The meeting with Verizon will go great.”

She practiced her business smile—soft, serene and encouraging.

“Any problems that arise, I will be more than capable of handling.”

Her smile became forced.

“And today, Joffrey will be less of a dipshit than usual. And even if he isn't, I will still keep my cool and be professional.”

Then she scowled.

“God, I hate him.”

She straightened her back and went to her closet, carefully pulling on a light grey blazer and skirt, tailored to flatter her figure and still be all business but also light and roomy for the sweltering heat. She slipped on some tan heels and grabbed her bag, stuffing it with a water bottle, a banana and a couple of hard-boiled eggs. Maybe today was the day she could resist the donuts that always mysteriously appeared in the break room.

_Probably not._

* * *

 Sansa made a quick stop to the local coffeeshop and was the first to arrive at work—she usually was. After answering several emails and watering the dying jade plant in her office, she made her way to the Control Room.

The Control Room was large and dark with rows of curved tables with individual touch-screens built on the tabletop surfaces. Massive LED screens took up the front of room with the middle screen projecting a blinking map of the park. On the flanking screens, multiple images flickered of the park's web cams along with satellite weather imaging all organized in a neat patchwork layout.

Sansa greeted the night crew, asking about their families before reviewing the nightly reports. Thankfully, it was a quiet night—no power outages, no escapes and only one security altercation with a wandering drunk dude who tried to break in the Calf Corral to pet the baby dinosaurs.

A half hour later, she met up with her assistant, Jeyne, to go over any changes in her schedule then she put her head down and went to work.

Her morning went by quickly. After a team-building meeting with the herbivore veterinarians, then dealing with a broken egg incubator, and taking a five minute break to pet a baby triceratops, Sansa found herself escorting a couple of representatives from an East Coast hedge fund back to the elevators. She knew the younger man was on the verge of asking her out for drinks by the way his eyes lingered on her legs.

_Ugh!_

He hesitated as the elevator doors swung open. His gaze shifted down to her legs again. She gritted her teeth and forced herself to smile.

He cleared his throat. “So...I was wondering—”

She held out her hand. “It was very nice to meet you,” she said, with just enough sweetness to cut the firmness in her tone.

“Oh, uh, yes,” he mumbled, face red. He took her hand. “Nice to meet you too, Ms. Stark. I'll guess I'll...”

Dejected, he entered the elevator with his colleague. Sansa dropped her smile the moment the elevators closed on his face and marched to the break room for another cup of coffee.

God, if she had to deal with one more sleazy rep from another Fortune 500 company...Did they not have a functioning _HR_??

She pointedly ignored the donuts next to the coffee machine as she poured herself a cup.

“Sansa?”

Sansa turned. Jeyne stood in the doorway nervously. Sansa's heart dropped.

“Everything okay?” Sansa asked.

Jeyne blew out a breath. “It's Joffrey...”

Sansa's lip curled. Definitely the biggest _non-perk_ of her job. “Oh, our Operations Manager decided to show up at...” She glanced down at her watch. “10:55?”

“He's in the control room.” Jeyne gave her a heavy look. “He wants to speak with you.”

“Of course he does,” Sansa muttered.

Grabbing her coffee, she took a step toward the door. Then she stopped and turned, snatching a donut and stuffing half of it in her mouth.

She rode the elevator to the Control Room, finishing her donut in two large bites. As always, when dealing with Joffrey, she prayed her temper would hold. She hadn't exploded on him _yet_ but it was getting harder with every passing day she had to deal with the little prick.

When Sansa was hired four years ago—fresh out of business school with a masters degree in hand— she was hungry to prove herself. She always knew she would be good at managing. She gave a crap about people, she could multitask as well as her mother and she loved losing herself in tiny, little details.

She moved quickly from mid-level manager to the upper echelons of park operations and she had her eye on the prize— _Operations Manager_ — but right at the cusp of reaching her goal, Cersei stepped in and anointed her son the job Sansa had wanted so much.

Since then, Sansa hovered in purgatory, appointed as _Deputy Operations Manager_ while doing Joffrey's work and hers. Sometimes she thought the unfairness would choke her but her mother's voice always echoed in those moments: _life isn't fair but when it is, consider that a blessing._

Sansa gave herself one more quick pep talk, than carefully arranged her facial features into a neutral expression as the elevator doors slid open. Joffrey was standing in the middle of the room, sniping at one of techs. Everyone looked miserable.

“Good morning, Joffrey,” she said pleasantly.

He turned, a sneer already in place on his stupid face.

“There you are!” he snapped—like he'd been looking for her all morning, like she was the one slacking off.

She quirked her head, her serene smile firmly in place though she couldn't stop herself from balling up her fists. “What can I help you with?”

He sauntered over to her, his eyes raking her up and down. Sansa had to take a slow, steady breath to tamp down the sudden urge to kick him in the nuts.

“My mother wants paddock 85 inspected,” he said.

“The Indominus Rex paddock?” she said, surprised. “Why?”

“Some of the investors are concerned.”

“Really? I haven't heard—”

“The _asset_ is a lot bigger than anyone expected,” he said impatiently.

“Oh, I didn't know that.” She hated this feeling—being kept in the dark.

He gave her sharp look. “Why would you? You're only my _deputy_.”

Sansa squeezed her fists so tight, she could feel her tendons bulging.

“I understand,” she said cooly. “But that paddock has been inspected by the top engineering firms. I'm not sure how another one will come up with a different conclusion—”

“My mother wants it, Sansa.” He stepped into her space, his face so close to hers she could feel his warm breath. “And as the owner of this park, she has the final say,” he whispered.

Sansa resisted the urge to step back and straightened her back. She was a tall woman and with her heels on, she was at least an inch taller than him.

“Of course,” she said, peering down at him imperiously. “And when does she want this inspection?”

He stepped away from her, annoyed. “Now.”

Sansa almost choked. “I have the Verizon meeting in an hour! It took weeks to shore up the proposal—”

He waved a hand. “My mother and I will handle it.”

“She's _here_?”

“Of course not. She'll video in.”

Sansa took a deep breath. If Joffrey was leading the meeting it would be a disaster. If his mother was there to hold his hand, it would probably be okay—as awful as Cersei was, she wasn't stupid.

“Okay.” Sansa nodded once. “Is there a firm she had in mind?”

“Not a firm. A person.”

Well, why the fuck didn't he just say that in the first place!

“There's a raptor facility east of the island,” Joffrey explained to her, like she was an idiot.

Sansa ground her teeth. “I'm familiar.”

“Are you?” he said doubtfully. “It's one of InGen's research teams. Separate from the park, obviously.”

Sansa took a deep, controlled breath. Of course she knew that! She knew everything that went on in the island even if it wasn't technically her responsibility.

“There's a team leader there. Theo?” he said, already bored with the conversation. “Theo Greyhappy? I don't know what the fuck his name is.”

Sansa almost groaned. “Theon Greyjoy.”

“Yes, whatever.” He scowled at her. “Well, what are you waiting for?” he snapped. He shooed her away with his fingers. “Go on now, _little mouse_.”

Sansa clenched her jaw so tight, it was a wonder she didn't crack any teeth. She turned on her heel and marched back to the elevator without another word. She was reminded of her mother's favorite movie: _9 to 5_ , where the main character accidentally thinks she spiked her horrible boss's coffee with rat poison. She wasn't a violent person but it was times like these she wished she could channel her sister's rage.

She stormed inside the elevator, jabbing the button like it personally insulted her. She glared at Joffrey's back like it had a giant bullseye taped to it and she was still staring at the same spot when the elevator doors closed. When they opened again, it was Jeyne's worried face that greeted her.

“Was it terrible?” Jeyne asked, shifting on her feet. “He seemed to be in a mood.”

“He's been worse.” Sansa sighed. “He wants the Indominus paddock inspected again.”

“When?”

Sansa gave her a look. “When do you think?”

“ _Now??_ ” Jeyne exclaimed.

Sansa nodded.

“B-But the Verizon—” Jeyne sputtered. “We spent weeks on that...” Jeyne looked like she was going to cry.

Sansa squeezed Jeyne's shoulder. “I know. And you did an incredible job on it too,” she said, trying to sound positive. “Why don't you send the proposal to Joffrey and Cersei, okay?”

“Okay.” Jeyne nodded then sighed. “Tell me who you want to inspect the paddock and I'll see what their schedule looks like.”

“Don't bother. Cersei wants Theon Greyjoy to look at it.”

Jeyne perked up. “The raptor guy? Didn't you grow up with him?”

Sansa turned and headed back to her office—Jeyne right next to her.

“He was my brother's best friend,” Sansa said. “Still is, I suppose.”

“I saw him at last year's Christmas party,” Jeyne said, her voice dreamy.

Sansa fought the herculean urge to roll her eyes.

“And then I saw him at Rio's...” Jeyne continued. “Or was it Cactus? Well, anyway, I ran into him at one of the bars and he didn't seem interested in talking with anyone.”

“He keeps to himself,” Sansa said simply.

He wasn't always like that. When Sansa was young, Theon had been a friendly child—a little mischievous. As he got older and started chasing girls, that friendliness evolved into a smooth, arrogant charm Sansa wasn't fond of.

But everything changed when Theon decided to join the Marine Corps right out of high school, something to do with impressing his father or at least that's what Robb had said.

“I've only seen him a few times myself,” Sansa said.

Jeyne nudged her arm. “Well, at least he's cute.”

Sansa shot Jeyne a look. _Was he though?_ Even when Sansa was a boy-crazy girl—barely a teen—and Theon was in high school, she never thought he was exactly _cute_. Okay, in certain angles he could be. Sometimes, when he wasn't a cocky asshole, he was even pretty. But other times, he had cold reptilian look Sansa didn't like, usually when he said something stupid or gross.

But now, during the rare times she saw him, he looked harder. Weary.

“I can call the raptor compound,” Jeyne suggested. “See what his schedule is?”

Sansa made a B-line to her desk, grabbing her keys from the top drawer. “Don't worry about it.” She slid her phone in her skirt pocket. “He's always with his raptors.”

She headed toward the door and called over her shoulder, “I'll be back as soon as I can!”

As she rode the elevator down to the parking garage, she reorganized her to-do list on her phone. When did it become so freaking _long_? She rubbed at the tight muscles behind her neck. Her forehead throbbed with the start of a headache.

She really hoped to God this little side-trip didn't completely derail her day.

 

* * *

 


	2. Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who commented, kudo'd and just took time out of their day to read this story. It means the world to me. This is unbeta'd so my apologies for any typos. I hope you enjoy!

 

* * *

 

The road to the raptor compound was Sansa's favorite drive on the island, boasting beautiful mountain ranges, luscious jungles and breathtaking cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean. No doubt she would've enjoyed it if she hadn't been so furious.

She hadn't realized how angry she was until she got in her car and began replaying the conversation she had with Joffrey, remembering how he leered at her, the infuriating way he snapped at her, calling her a little mouse. By the time she drove past the security wall, she could smell blood.

She thought of a dozen sly comebacks, the kind that didn't seem like outright insults, the kind that wouldn't get her ass fired. She delivered them perfectly in the quiet rumbling of her car. Then those comebacks evolved into full-on insults, the kind with a lot of creative swearing and yelling. _YOU FUCKING RAT KING_ was her favorite by far. Then it morphed into just screaming—loud and shrill— while she attempted to strangle her steering wheel to death.

Just once she wanted to punch him, just like Robb had taught her when she was a kid. Roll up your fist, pull back your elbow, keep your eye on the target and then swing as hard as you can. Sansa could almost feel the sick thud of Joffrey's face on her knuckles, feel the jolting shock reverberate up her arm and the satisfaction of finally wiping that smug look off his ridiculous face.

By the time she drove up the driveway to the raptor compound, her throat was raw and her eyes wild.

Good God, maybe she was like her little sister after all.

She parked behind a cluster of trees, hidden from view of the compound and took a calming breath. It wouldn't do if she rolled up on Theon looking like she was about to commit murder. She turned off her car and pulled out her phone, checking her messages then going over her to-do list again. She took another deep breath, feeling a little better now she had something substantial to focus on.

She checked her watch. If Theon was able to do his inspection quickly, she wouldn't get too behind and today wouldn't be a complete shitshow.

She straightened her shoulders and cleared her throat.

“It's not too late to change your day,” she said, just like her mother.

She reached for her rearview mirror, turning it so she look at herself.

Her eyes looked a little frantic. She took another calming breath.

“You can turn it around if you choose to.”

She tried for a smile but it looked closer to a grimace.

“And seeing Theon won't be awkward this time.”

She leaned her forehead on her steering wheel and groaned. Of course it would be awkward. The last time she had seen him _was_ at the Christmas party. After a stilted greeting and a conversation that lasted no longer than five minutes, he bid her goodbye and spent the rest of the evening with his work crew.

Not that she blamed him. They didn't have a friendship. They were merely acquaintances. But still...the difference in his demeanor unsettled her. There was no more snark, no more cockiness. Now there was only cold politeness.

When she first learned Theon was hired by InGen as the lead raptor trainer a couple of years ago, she was shocked to say the least. She had no idea he had that type of expertise. Robb had confirmed it weeks later. Theon had gotten out of the military and settled in some wolf sanctuary in the middle of Montana. Robb refused to tell her anymore which was, honestly, annoying as hell.

She did make it a point to welcome Theon personally. He had settled in the eastern part of the island, just a mile away from the raptor compound. The property was lush and beautiful with a little bungalow nestled under a clump of swaying palm trees.

She had brought him a giant, gift basket. It was only good manners, of course. It had nothing to do with how _curious_ she was.

He had been working on a dirt bike when she pulled up to his place. He looked healthy but tired. His hair was clipped short, his hands and t-shirt greasy.

He had taken the gift basket with a polite smile, asked about her family then an uncomfortable silence followed. She expected him to sass her, maybe even flirt with her now that she wasn't a child anymore. She didn't expect him to watch her carefully before casting his eyes down, making it obvious he didn't want to spend one more second with her.

That hurt.

She had given him his space ever since but she did keep tabs on him. After a couple of months of him being on the island, she half expected to hear about him screwing his way through half the female employees, maybe even a few tourists as well. He didn't.

He did date someone briefly though, before the woman got island fever and jumped ship. She was a vet tech, tall and pretty with long red hair the exact same shade as Sansa's which was just... _weird_ , if Sansa thought about.

She certainly did _not_ think about it.

“Well,” she said. “That paddock isn't going to inspect itself.”

She glanced at the mirror again, checking her appearance before brushing a finger under her bottom lip then she stepped out of her car.

It was hotter now, the air stifling. Sansa was already sweating by the time the compound came into view. It was a large structure—squat, grey and utilitarian. The walls of the compound were a couple of stories high, constructed of corrugated steel panels which formed the octagonal-shaped paddock. Suspended above it were two metal gangplanks that crossed over each other in the middle.

The only thing pretty about it were the tropical trees that surrounded it but then, it didn't have to be.

She had only been here once before. It was still under construction while Theon worked with the baby raptors at another facility closer to the park. The visit had been a PR move for Cersei—to show the InGen shareholders that the owner of Jurassic World cared or some bullshit.

“Can I help you?”

Sansa turned. Standing there was a blonde kid, cute with elf-like features. He looked like he was barely out of high school.

“You must be Ms. Stark.” He smiled at her. “I've heard a lot about you.”

Sansa raised her eyebrows, surprised.

He raised his hands. “All good things, of course.”

She smiled back. “Well, that's a relief.”

He held out his hand. “I'm Jo,” he said, smiling wider when Sansa shook his hand.

Sansa gazed at him thoughtfully. This kid was a little...different, in a good way.

“I'm looking for Theon,” she said.

He nodded. “I figured.” He gestured her to follow him. “He's meeting with someone right now,” he said, leading her around the paddock. He glanced at her. “Don't worry. It won't be long.” His voice was with heavy with meaning.

Sansa was just about to ask why when she overheard angry voices. Sansa and Jo peered around a corner. There was Theon—furious and tense—staring down a dark-haired man in an expensive suit.

It took her moment to recognize the man—Petyr Baelish, head of InGen's security operations.

Sansa scowled.

Next to her, Jo snorted. “Not a fan of Baelish, I take it?” he whispered.

“No,” she said quietly. Baelish was definitely a _non-perk_.

They watched as the argument continued, though it looked one-sided as Theon grew more furious while Baelish smirked in that infuriating way of his.

“These animals are not weapons!” Theon ground out. “They're wild animals. Wild, prehistoric animals!”

“You're wrong, Greyjoy. They're so much more than that,” Baelish said calmly. “The possibilities are endless with an animal this intelligent.”

“What are you talking about? They're not dogs! They haven't spent thousands of years evolving right alongside us,” Theon argued, his eyes stormy. “In a combat zone, they won't be able to differentiate who's friend or foe—who's a civilian or even a child for Christ's sake!”

Sansa stared at Theon. This was the person she recognized—angry, passionate—not the withdrawn man she could barely talk to. As always, her mind tried to reconcile the image she had of him from his youth to the man he was now.

He had the same brown hair from when he was a child. It was longer than when she saw him last, curling around his ears and neck. It gleamed auburn in the dappled sunlight. He was medium height and still had the same lean build, maybe a little more wiry—more muscular. Against the bland colors of his work shirt and trousers, he seemed to glow bright in his anger. Sansa couldn't tear her eyes away from him.

Baelish shook his head. “I've seen them,” he said, his expression intense, almost fervent. “I've seen how they are with you, how they look to you—for guidance. Direction. You know what it's like—how combat can turn sideways. You can't tell me they can't be utilized in the field.”

“You put them in combat, I can guarantee you shit will go sideways!”

“I disagree,” Baelish argued quietly. “They could be trained to know the difference.”

Theon stared at the sky and shook his head. “I can't believe what I'm hearing.”

“What did you think was going to happen here?” Baelish sneered, his temper finally snapping. “Did you think we brought you on to make friends with these animals and you'd live happily ever after?” He stepped closer to Theon. “You are a great trainer but did you take a moment to think _why_ you've been so successful where others have failed?”

Theon froze. “What are you talking about?”

Baelish raised an eyebrow. “Maybe you should visit the genetics lab someday.” He quirked his head. “You may find it... _enlightening_.”

With that, Baelish turned and began to walk toward the direction of Sansa and Jo. They scrambled back. Sansa grabbed her phone, fiddling with it before shoving it into Jo's face.

“So, as you can see the triceratops pen has all the bells and whistles,” she announced loudly.

Jo bobbed his head, his face scrunched up in a way Sansa could only assume was a thoughtful expression. “Mhmm. Mhmm. Very interesting.”

At that moment, Baelish appeared. His eyes lit up.

“Ms. Stark, what a lovely surprise,” he said, smiling widely. He was subtle about it—he always was—but Sansa caught the way his eyes roamed over her.

Her mouth tightened. That's it, she was wearing fucking _pantsuits_ from now on.

“Mr. Baelish,” she nodded curtly.

He walked up to her, ignoring Jo altogether. “What brings you out here on this beautiful day?”

She kept her expression neutral. “Work.”

He laughed softly. “Very detailed.”

“I aim to please, Mr. Baelish.”

“I'm sure you do,” he said, stepping closer to her than was necessary.

Sansa wanted to vomit all over his polished shoes.

She took a step back, her eyes cold. “Well, I'm sure you have a very busy day. As do I.” She quirked her head and glanced at Jo. “Will you please show me the way, Jo?”

He gave Baelish an impish smirk. “Of course, Ms. Stark,” he said, gesturing like a gentleman.

Jo chuckled next to her as they walked away.

Sansa looked at him. “What?”

He shrugged. “It's not often someone can make Baelish look foolish, is all.”

“He's arguing about using raptors in military operations,” Sansa said. “He doesn't need any help from me to make him look foolish.”

Jo laughed loudly. “That's a good point.”

He led her around the paddock but Theon wasn't anywhere in sight.

“He's probably taking a breather,” Jo said, when he saw her questioning look. “A visit from Baelish tends to do that.”

She understood that completely.

They continued walking until they reached an enclosure jutting out from the paddock. It was a cage of thick metal bars, with a wall of complicated metal on the right side and a massive door made up of more steel bars that separated the cage from the main paddock.

Sansa walked up to it. From here, she could see into the paddock which was filled with small trees and large, swaying bushes.

She gripped the bars, gazing nervously into the paddock. “I can't see them.”

“They're probably napping,” Jo said. “Even though they're badass predators, they're still genetically programmed to hide from bigger, badder predators, especially when they're resting.” He smiled. “The food chain never changes no matter what era it is.”

She continued to stare into the paddock, her eyes scanning the foliage. “You know, raptors were always the one dinosaur that really terrified me,” Sansa admitted.

“Really?”

“Yeah,” she said. “It was the stories from the old park. Those two raptors chasing those kids.” She nodded at the paddock. “They really freaked me out as a child.”

“Yeah, I can see that.” Jo followed her gaze, his eyes squinting. “I'll go find Theon for you, okay.”

“Okay.”

Sansa watched him jog away then she turned her gaze to the raptor paddock. She still couldn't see a damn thing. They were in there though. Were they watching her right now? A warm breeze swept through the paddock, rustling the dead leaves on the ground. Suddenly, the birds stopped chirping. Her skin prickled.

“Sansa?”

Sansa jumped so hard, she yelped a little, which was _embarrassing_. She turned to see Theon standing behind her.

He held up a hand. “Sorry, I didn't mean...”

“It's okay,” she said, shaking her head. She placed a hand to her chest, a feeble attempt to control her racing heart. “It's...it's...the paddock is a little unnerving...”

“Yeah, it can be.” He watched her closely. “Is everything alright?” he finally asked. He looked worried.

Sansa wasn't sure why, then she understood. “Everyone's fine. My family is fine.”

His shoulders relaxed. “What are you doing here then?”

She took a breath then smiled. “I need a favor,” she said. “It's work related.”

Immediately, he was tense again.

“There's a new attraction on the other side of the island. A new asset,” she said. “Mrs. Lannister wants you to take a look at it.”

“Me?” Theon knit his eyebrows. “Wouldn't it have been inspected already?”

“Yes, multiple times and by reputable engineering firms but those inspections were only structural, not behavioral. Someone with your expertise may see something others haven't.”

“And when do they want it looked at?”

She gave him a small smile. “Now?”

“I have training scheduled right now,” he said, pointing at the paddock. “It'll have to wait until I'm done.”

Sansa tried to hide her disappointment. She could already see her productive day flying away. She was tempted to ask him if he could postpone but the one thing all the animal handlers had emphasized to her over the years was how important routines were for the animals.

Something in her face must've clued Theon in on her inner crisis.

“Hey,” he said softly. “I'll cut the training a little short, if that works better for you.”

She shook her head. “I understand how important it is to keep a schedule.”

“It is,” he agreed. “Believe me, you don't want a restless raptor on your hands.”

Sansa's eyes slid uneasily back to the paddock.

He jerked his head. “Don't worry,” he said. “You're in for a real treat.”

Theon strode to the enclosure and punched a code on the side of a metal gate, entering once the gate swung open.

The entire setting—down to the thick metal bars, the security keypad and just knowing _what_ was in there—set an ominous tone. Sansa stared into the enclosure, fidgeting as she tried to control her breathing. Theon met her gaze then turned and faced the paddock again and let out an ear-splitting whistle.

There was silence. Dead silence. No birds, no frogs, not even the insects were making any noise. Sansa held her breath.

There was a faint rustling—gentle at first, then a sound unlike anything she had ever heard. It was a shriek, sharp and piercing, like metal scraping on metal. And something else. Something that made the hair on her arms stand on end.

Suddenly five raptors burst from the bushes. They circled the courtyard in a blur—snapping at each other—their movements both jerky and fluid. They were bigger than she thought they would be—all lean muscles, wicked talons and intelligent eyes.

“Holy shit,” Sansa gasped.

Theon whistled again. Two short beats and the raptors froze, staring at him with their heads cocked to the side. He held a hand up then whistled long and low.

One of the raptor's advanced first, graceful and strangely beautiful, a long white stripe bright against her grey flank. She walked slowly—deliberately. Her amber eyes never wavered from his as she moved around to one side of the enclosure. She continued until she was out of sight.

Sansa jumped when she saw the raptor's head suddenly poke through one of the slots inside the enclosure. She slid her nose, then head, into a metal contraption. Carefully, Theon approached her, slipping a locking mechanism around her muzzle while he whispered words of praise and encouragement. He scratched under her eyes and she made a deep, rumbling sound. _She liked that._

Soon, Theon had all five raptors in their harnesses.

“You want to meet them?” he asked as he stroked one of the darker raptors under the chin.

Sansa shook her head forcefully. “No—no, that's, no, that's okay...”

He smiled at her and not one of his cold, polite smiles either—tight-lipped but genuine with one side quirked higher than the other.

“Sansa Stark, are you scared?”

She snorted unladylike. “That reverse psychology bullshit doesn't work on me.”

“I'm pretty sure it does. At least, that's how I remember it,” he said, smiling even wider. “This is the first time you're seeing them in person, right?”

“No!” she cried, then in a smaller voice, “I saw them when they were eggs.”

Theon bit back a laugh. “Eggs?”

“Look, I'm...not comfortable...” She brushed her arm self-consciously.

His smile faltered. “I-I'm sorry,” he said quietly. “I didn't mean to push.”

They were both silent and the seconds ticked by awkwardly. Finally Sansa couldn't stand it anymore. “So, are you going to tell me their names or what?”

He nodded and pointed to the raptor on the far right. “That's Summer.” He pointed to the next one, going down the line. “Nymeria. Shaggy. Grey Wind.”

They were almost indistinguishable from each other with the exception of one of them being darker than the others. The only raptor that stood out was the one with the striking, white pattern. Theo walked over to her.

“And this one right here,” he said fondly, scratching the raptor's neck. “This one's my beta. Ghost.”

Sansa rolled her eyes. “You named them after Legends of the Direwolves? Really, Theon?”

He smiled again and laughed softly. She could see the little gap between his two front teeth. The sight was a little disorienting.

“You remembered,” he said.

“How could I forget? That's all you and Robb ever talked about,” Sansa said. “He saved up all his money to buy those comic books.” She held up a hand. “Oh, I'm sorry— _graphic novels._ ”

“Hey, that's a great series,” he said. “It shaped my childhood.”

“Oh my God,” she muttered.

“What?”

“That's exactly what Robb says!”

“Well, it's true. Anyway, if it wasn't for that series, I wouldn't have gotten interested in pack animal behavior and I wouldn't have worked with wolves and I wouldn't be here,” he said. “With you.”

Sansa blinked. “Oh.”

“So...” He stroked Ghost's neck. “You want to see them hunt?”

 

* * *

 

 

 


	3. Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again for all the kudos, comments and just taking the time from your day to read this story! Unbeta'd so there may be some mistakes.

 

* * *

 

 

_You want to see them hunt?_

Theon had just asked Sansa if she wanted to see the scariest predators that had ever roamed the Earth hunt and she just stood there and stared at him.

By the time she could formulate words, Theon had already released Ghost from her harness. He moved on to each raptor and let them go while Sansa had her mini existential crisis. Just beyond the enclosure, she could see the raptors running around the paddock—jumping and nipping at each other playfully.

He approached her, his face relaxed. “You want to see them hunt, Sansa?” he repeated.

“Hunt _what_?”

As if on cue, she heard an unmistakable high-pitched squealing. Her eyes widened.

“A pig? They're gonna kill a pig?” she said, her voice cracking.

He shook his head. “No, they normally don't catch the pig.” He looked thoughtful for a moment. “At least, it's been awhile since they caught one. This exercise is to curb their instincts. To get them to _not_ kill the pig.”

“I—I really don't think I can watch a pig get torn apart, even if the chances are low,” she said, clutching her stomach.

“Of course,” he said simply. “I understand, Sansa.” And he looked like he really did.

Wait, was this reverse psychology because it was working.

She narrowed her eyes. “Fine, I'll stay,” she said, leveling him a hard look. “But that pig better be okay.”

He looked at her puzzled...and maybe a little concerned. “You really don't have—”

“I'm fine,” she said stubbornly.

Why was she acting like this? Why was she acting like she was twelve again? Theon stared at her like he was asking himself the same question.

“Okay,” is all he said.

She watched him as he left the enclosure, watched him as he climbed the steps up to the gangplank, watched him as a took a steel bucket from Jo. She couldn't tear her eyes away from him. It was like watching a slow motion train wreck, except _he_ wasn't the train wreck.

Theon stood in the middle of the gangplank and let out long whistle. The raptors vanished in a streak of limbs into the foliage. From the right, there was a metal clang and a little hatch in the paddock slid open. A small pig darted out of the hatch and into the low bushes. There was some rustling, then it stopped.

Everything was still. Sansa licked her lips, her eyes scanning the paddock. Then the bushes began to sway violently. There was another one of those metallic, hair-raising shrieks. Sansa jumped. The pig shot out of the bushes. Right behind it were the raptors, impossibly fast.

Oh God. The pig.

_Why didn't she wait in the car???_

Two whistles, short and clipped, nearly gave Sansa a heart attack. The raptors froze, ignoring the pig as it ran back into the hatch. They gazed up at Theon, their tails flicking.

He smiled down at them. “Good,” he praised. “Very good.” He reached into the bucket and threw down a frozen rat to each one.

Sansa stared up at him, her breath stuttering, then he glanced down and met her eyes. His smile softened. He turned his attention back to his raptors.

They went through several more exercises, all of them seemingly executed flawlessly. It ended with a scent-driven treasure hunt that had most of the crew whooping and clapping on the gangplank. Theon ended the exercises with a long, low whistle and the raptors scattered into the brush.

He climbed down the stairs and headed back toward her. He looked relaxed and content.

He stopped in front of her. “What did you think?”

“It was...” _Bone-chilling. Terrifying_. “Impressive,” she finally said.

He nodded thoughtfully and headed back inside the enclosure. He went over to the harnesses, checking them over.

“The pig didn't get eaten,” he said loud enough for her to hear.

He flashed her a sly smile and he looked so much like he did when he was kid, Sansa was momentarily speechless.

She was just about to answer, sarcastically of course, when a metallic clang rang out overhead.

Sansa's eyes shot up to the gangplank just in time to see one of the guys trip Jo with a restraining pole. Jo went off kilter, arms flailing. Sansa could only watch in horror as Jo fell back against the rail, his feet in the air. For a split second, he seemed to hover there. Then his body twisted and he plummeted down into the paddock. He landed hard on his back, gasping.

In seconds, the raptors surged out of the bushes. They stared at him, their heads angling from side to side. Then Ghost hissed, and stepped forward. The others followed her lead.

“Shit!” Theon slammed the button to the paddock's large mechanical door and it slowly rumbled open. He ducked under it and dashed into the paddock, skidding to a halt in front of Jo.

The raptors reared, claws flashing.

“Oh...Okay,” Theon held his hands out. “Easy now...easy.” Ghost snapped her jaws. “Hey! Easy, Ghost!” She inched closer. The others did the same.

Sansa's heart stopped. She grasped the bars, pressing against them.

This...this can't be happening.

“Jo,” Theon murmured. “Back up slowly.”

Jo began to crawl backwards toward the enclosure. Ghost growled, crouching low.

“No!” Theon waved his arms. “No. Focus on me, Ghost.”

Ghost stared at Theon instead. Jo made it to the enclosure and stood up on shaky legs.

“Close the door,” Theon ordered.

“ _What?_ ” Jo hissed.

“Leave a little space for me to squeeze under.”

Jo pressed the button and the grinding sound of the door made Sansa want to scream.

One of the darker raptors growled low in her throat, moving to Theon's right. Another maneuvered to Theon's left.

Sansa could only watch in terror as the raptors slowly surrounded him.

“Okay, girls. Easy,” Theon said in a soothing voice. “Easy...”

One of them advanced.

“Hey! Back off!” Theon barked.

She yipped loudly, posturing. Her large talon thudded against the ground. Ghost snapped at her and she slunk back, whining.

“Good. Good,” Theon praised. He stepped closer to Ghost, raising his hand toward her.

Sansa gripped the bars so hard, her knuckles hurt. He was moving closer to her? _Was he crazy??_

“This is all up to you, Ghost,” he said softly. “How's this going to play out?”

Ghost cocked her head and even from a distance, Sansa could see Ghost's golden eye stare at Theon. Her pupil expanded and shrank, her tail whipping behind her. Then Ghost clicked her teeth and nodded her jaw upward.

Theon smiled. “Good girl.” He blew a long whistle, low and soft. No one moved.

Then Ghost barked, her neck bobbing like a bird's. Without warning, she bumped her nose into Theon's palm then dashed away into the trees. One by one, the raptors disappeared into the brush. The darker raptor behind Theon nuzzled her nose against his head before following her sisters.

Theon stood there, his shoulders rising and falling, then slowly he backed up to the door, crawling under it before Jo closed it all the way.

Jo brought him into a hug, slapping Theon on the back. More of their co-workers came to check on them.

Sansa took a shaky breath and stared at the ground. Her skin felt clammy. Her heart thudded heavily in her chest. And she didn't dare let go of the bars since she was sure she might fall over.

It took her a moment to realize someone was talking to her.

“What?” she breathed.

A hand rubbed her back. She glanced up into Theon's worried face.

He dropped his hand. “Are you okay?” he asked.

“I...” She shook her head. “I should be asking you that.” She tried for a laugh and failed. “And here I was worried about a stupid pig.”

“Well, in your defense, that pig is pretty cool,” he said.

She smacked him in the arm, suddenly angry. “I almost watched you die!”

He held out his hands like he did in the paddock—like she was one of his damn raptors! “I wasn't going to die.”

“Are you kidding me? I saw them surround you! They growled at you!”

“Okay, I was _pretty_ sure I wasn't going to die,” he said instead. He dropped his hands. “Look, I raised them when they were babies. I imprinted on them. It's been a year since I've been physically near them like that but I was sure they wouldn't hurt me.” He glanced into the paddock. “But Jo? Without me in the paddock with him, they would've torn him to shreds.”

Sansa's stomach dropped. “Jo. How is he?”

He let out a breath. “He's okay. He looks like he's contemplating life itself or...” He smiled. “Maybe he just pissed himself.”

Sansa laughed. It was a wobbly, shaky sound. Now that the danger had passed, she felt twitchy, like she had just drank twenty cups of coffee.

“Come on,” he said. “Let's get you some water.”

They stood under the shade of a palm tree, swatting away flies and drinking water until Sansa no longer felt like she was crawling out of her skin. She was already resigned to the fact that her day was shit and there would be no catching up for her. Although, after what she just saw with the raptors, her to-do list didn't seem so pressing anymore.

“Should we head out?” Theon asked her. He finally stopped looking at her like she was made of glass.

“Yes,” she said, downing the rest of her water. She stared at the bottle. There was a still a slight tremor in her hands. “Let's go.”

The drive to the Indominus paddock was quiet. Theon stared out the window. He seemed pensive the longer they were in the car.

“The paddock isn't near the park?” he asked.

“No, it sits in the base of the volcano,” Sansa said. “This paddock is supposed to be temporary. They'll start construction on the new one soon. That one will be closer to the park.”

“What's the dinosaur?” he asked.

Sansa gripped the wheel. “Mostly a T-Rex.”

She could feel him staring at her.

“Mostly?”

“I don't know the rest.”

“Why?”

“It's...classified.”

He shifted in his seat. “Classified?” he said, his voice cold.

“InGen has their own separate divisions. Separate contracts,” she said slowly. “We're not privy to know them.”

Theon swore under his breath.

“The park needs to unveil a new dinosaur every couple of years,” Sansa said defensively. “To boost attendance. The shareholders and Mrs. Lannister...” She pursed her lips. “They wanted something new so the lab...made something new.”

“They made a _new_ dinosaur?” Theon's voice was incredulous.

“They call it a hybrid.”

“A hybrid...” Theon rubbed a rough hand over his face.

“It's...I don't make these decisions,” she said.

“But you understand how dangerous this is, right?” he asked sharply.

“We're Jurassic World! This is what we do,” she snapped back.

“Yeah, making dinosaurs, Sansa! Not _hybrids_!”

“What's this about?” She glanced at him. He looked furious but he he also looked scared too. “Is this about your raptors? Is this about what Baelish said? What he insinuated?”

“You heard that?”

“It was hard not to. Is it, Theon?”

His eyes turned icy. “Of course it is,” he said quietly.

The rest of the drive was silent after that. The judgement in Theon's tone hurt but if she were being honest with herself, she knew he had a point.

When the lab announced a genetically-altered asset, Sansa thought nothing of it. It was just one more animal for the crowds to _ohh_ and _ahh_ over. But now, she wasn't so sure.

The narrow dirt road opened up to a clearing and there sat a large, cement structure, like a mini stadium, right in the middle of the jungle.

She parked by a short flight of stairs, careful to avoid Theon's eyes.

When she opened her car door, the sharp smell of rotten meat hit her like slap in the face. She had to fight to keep from gagging.

Theon squinted at the scaffolding attached to the top of the paddock. “Are they building it higher?”

Sansa shielded her eyes from the sun. “Yes,” she said a little surprised, then she remembered what Joffrey had told her. “The asset is a lot bigger than they thought it would be.”

Theon's jaw tightened but he stayed quiet.

A cloud of flies buzzed around them as Sansa led him up the stairs. They entered a long, narrow, cement room—all clean and modern lines. A wall of thick glass overlooked an enormous pen filled with tall trees and bushes. Sansa nodded at the lone security guard who was sitting at a small touch-screen table, eating his sandwich.

Sansa walked to the window, looking out into dense foliage. She couldn't see it yet.

Theon sidled next to her, his eyes taking in the paddock. He peered up at the crane attached to the lip of the paddock.

He pointed to it. “Is that how they feed it?”

“Yes, a crane brings down food to it three times a day.”

“So its only positive interaction is that crane?”

Sansa nodded. The way Theon was looking at the crane made her stomach twist. “The asset was born with a sibling but...”

He looked at her, his grey eyes bright and intense. “But...”

Sansa cleared her throat. “It...ate it.”

He nodded once, unsurprised.

“They call it the Indominus Rex,” she said.

Theon raised an eyebrow. “Even the name is dumb,” he muttered. “What else can you tell me about this _asset_? You know, that's not _classified_ , of course,” he scoffed.

Sansa had to take a deep breath to keep from snapping at him. She remembered this about him—the attitude, the sheer sass he could muster when he was pissed.

“Its big,” she said, her voice clipped. “And fast too. The scientists think it can sense thermal radiation, like a snake.”

“Sweet Jesus,” he breathed.

“That's all I know.”

“Well, since we're not sure what's it's completely made up of, getting a good look at it may help,” Theon said.

Sansa stared into the paddock. “There's not many places to hide and its an unusual color.”

“Unusual?”

“Its pale, like a greyish white. And it has these spikes along its head and back.” Sansa shivered. She never liked the look of it. It didn't have the strong, blocky beauty Lady had.

She tapped on the glass. “I'm surprised we haven't seen it yet.”

She searched the paddock for a good full minute. “Where _is_ it?” she huffed.

Theon nudged her and nodded at the window. Deep, harsh-looking cracks fanned out from a corner.

She blinked, then turned to the security guard. “Do a thermal scan, please.”

The guard tapped his monitor. There was a flat beep.

Sansa's stomach dropped. “Wha—” She marched over to the guard's station and reached over him, her fingers flying over the monitor. Again, the same flat toneless beep.

A chill swept over her entire body.

Slowly, she turned to Theon.

“It—It's not...” she said.

He stepped toward her, brushing her arm with his hand. “What?”

“Its not in there.”

 

* * *

 

 


	4. Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is where the story takes more of a deviation from the original story! Hopefully, you all will like it *fingers crossed *
> 
> My apologies for any typos. I read this chapter many times but its highly possible for me to miss some mistakes!

 

* * *

 

Theon stared at her. “What do you mean it's not in there?”

“I mean...I mean it's not—that's not possible!”

Theon's eyes swept the enclosure. Then he pointed to the right side of the paddock. “Were those marks always there?”

Sansa looked to where he was pointing. A myriad of giant claw marks cut deep into the concrete walls. “Oh my God,” Sansa gasped. “It climbed out!”

She fumbled for her phone. “It has a tracker! The control room can find it.” She cursed, glaring at her phone. “Of course! No fucking signal. I'm heading to the control room but I need you guys to get in there and—”

She made a move toward the door but Theon grabbed her arm. “Hold up,” he said. “No one go in there. Not yet. Just...wait.”

“We can't wait!” Sansa yelled. “There's no thermal detection. It's not in there—”

Theon held up a hand, his face deadly serious. Sansa clenched her mouth shut. She watched his eyes scan the enclosure, sweeping from side to side. His mouth was moving, like he was speaking but no sound came out.

Then his eyes snapped, fixing on a spot.

Sansa turned to see what he was looking at. She saw nothing. _Then..._

Something behind the trees. A slight movement. It didn't look like anything, not even a shape, just leaves and branches moving strangely.

Sansa squinted and tried to focus. What was she looking at? Then the _something_ jerked, sailing toward them like a giant wave.

“Get back!” Theon shouted.

The window exploded. Thick glass sprayed into the room. Sansa fell to the floor. Theon grabbed her by the waist and hauled her back. They scrambled against the wall. The guard huddled next to them.

Claws as long as her arm tore away the rest of the glass. The thing pulled back and shifted. Then a pale, massive head drifted into view. The head turned. A huge, icy-blue eye stared right at them.

In a flash, an enormous muzzle lunged through the opening. Sansa screamed, pressing herself against the wall, folding her legs as tight she could to her chest. Its jaws were inches away, snapping, teeth impossibly long. Its head was too big to move any further. It twisted and turned, jaws straining to reach them. The sick smell of decay permeated the room. Sansa choked. Then suddenly, it was gone.

More claws—bigger ones—hooked onto the ledge of the windows. It was its foot, Sansa realized. Glass crackled as it pushed down, using the ledge as a step.

The guard shot to his feet. “Fuck this!” He raced out the door, his footsteps clattering down the metal stairs.

“No!” Sansa called out.

“It's climbing out!” Theon yelled.

Sansa crawled toward the door and peered outside. Theon moved up behind her, craning his head to see around her, his chest pressing against her back. She saw the guard run to one of the service trucks. A shadow loomed overhead. Sansa looked up. The thing was leaning over the edge of the paddock, taking in its surroundings. It jumped. The ground shook as it landed. It roared—a horrible, guttural sound so loud, it seemed to swell in Sansa's ears.

The guard gaped, staggered back then ran toward the trees. Sansa could only watch helplessly as the monster went after him. In two steps, it swept the guard into its jaws. There was a sick crunch then the guard was gone, swallowed up whole. Sansa whimpered and covered her mouth with her hand. The creature whirled its head in her direction. She jerked back, pressing into Theon. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

There was only silence. Sweat trickled down her neck. Theon's hand tightened around her shoulder.

Then the monster moved, its footsteps rattling the room. Sansa stiffened. She couldn't tell if it was moving closer or farther. Her lungs forgot how to breathe. It roared again but it sounded further away.

Sansa dared a peek. The Indominus was ambling into the forest.

She sagged against the Theon's chest. “It's gone.”

“Sansa,” he whispered. His chest trembled against her back. “That's no dinosaur.”

“I have to get back to the Control Room.” She lurched to her feet, then she noticed she was missing a shoe.

_Goddammit!_

Theon rose to his feet and snaked an arm around her waist, propping her up.

“There's glass all over the place,” he explained quietly.

Sansa nodded and draped her arm around his neck as he helped her out of the room and down the stairs. He let her go gently once they reached the bottom of the steps and she kicked off her other shoe, running to her car to grab her back-up sneakers.

She threw on her sneakers, her eyes darting around nervously, paranoid that _thing_ might show up at any moment. Then she noticed Theon was gone. She freaked out for a good ten seconds before she saw him at one of the paddock's service doors, waving her over.

She raced over to him and followed him inside. About five construction workers were huddled in a dimly lit hallway, all looking about as bad as she felt.

“The crew chief says they're a couple rifles in the back,” Theon said. “He's grabbing them right now and will give us one.”

“Rifles,” Sansa whispered. “Okay.”

“Then I told him and his crew they should head back to the park and get the fuck off this island.”

Sansa nodded. “That's...that's good.”

“You're going to evacuate, right?” Theon asked.

Sansa jerked her head. “Evacuate?”

“Yeah, you saw what that thing did.”

“I...” She closed her eyes. The image of that _thing_ eating the security guard played like a horror movie behind her eyelids. She swallowed back the revulsion.

“They'll send a security team,” she said. “They'll track it. Stop it.”

Theon gently grasped her shoulders and gazed into her eyes. “They may be able to stop it, Sansa, but what if they don't.”

_What if they don't?_

“The island is packed with people. Families,” he said.

She took a shaky breath. An evacuation would damage the park, maybe even close it down indefinitely but if someone got hurt...

Wait, someone just _died_ in front of her.

“You're right,” she said. “We need to get everyone off this island.”

Theon nodded once. “Good.”

A few minutes later, the crew chief showed up with two rifles in his hands. He gave one to Theon who handled it like he had done it million times.

“Let's go,” he said.

The drive back to the Control Room was harrowing enough but the conversation Sansa was having with Joffrey on the phone made it a hundred times worse.

“Are you fucking stupid?” he snapped. “Evacuate the island? It'll ruin us!”

“Someone already died today!” Sansa shouted. “An evacuation is the safest thing to do. You can even hire some fancy PR firm and spin it as a positive if it makes you feel any better!

“No,” Joffrey said firmly. “We have security tracking it right now and we're calling back all the attractions. This'll be over soon and no will have to know.”

“Dammit, Joffrey, you don't know what we're up against! I already told you it has camouflage! This _thing_ is not—hello? _Hello?_ ” Sansa glared at her phone. “He fucking hung up on me!”

Sansa took a deep breath and set her phone down gently then she gripped the steering wheel and screamed as loud as she could.

“Feel better?” Theon asked.

“No,” she said. “Sorry...sometimes I just have to scream.”

“I understand. Screaming is good therapy,” he said. “Though watching someone else do it is a little terrifying.”

She glanced at him quickly.

“I take it there's no evacuation?” he said.

Sansa shook her head. “No, the idiot!” She picked up her phone and called Jeyne.

Jeyne picked up at the first ring. “Sansa?” She was whispering and Sansa knew she was in the Control Room.

“What's happening? Has security reached the animal?”

“No. They're close though. Sansa, they're not using live ammunition.”

Sansa cursed under her breath. “Idiots!” She took a deep breath. “Okay, I'm authorizing you to activate a Phase 1 evacuation.”

“What? But Joffrey—”

“It's only Phase 1, okay. He won't even notice if they manage to incapacitate the animal. Just alert the port to send more ferries. That's it.”

“Okay,” Jeyne whispered. There was a pause then loud voices in the background. “Oh my God...”

“What? Jeyne? _What?_ ”

“The tracker...they found it.” Jeyne's voice shook. “It's out—it pulled it out.”

“ _What??_ ”

“It pulled out its tracker. We—we don't know where it is!”

Sansa turned to stare at Theon. “Oh no.”

 

* * *

  

Sansa had stayed on the phone with Jeyne for a few more minutes, hoping and dreading that the security team would find the Indominus. They didn't. Now, the entire park was flying blind. _It_ could be anywhere.

They drove through the jungle with baited breath, both of them looking over their shoulder. In under fifteen minutes, they would be in the Control Room and Sansa would _force_ Joffrey to issue a full evacuation.

The jungle opened up to a sprawling valley surrounded by a lovely tropical forest. On a normal day, Sansa would've enjoyed the beautiful view. But today...

Theon made a noise next to her.

She jumped, panic already flooding her system. “What?”

“Is that one of those tourist trucks?” Theon asked.

Sansa followed his gaze down a sloping hill. “Yes,” she said slowly. The truck was driving fast—too fast. “What's it doing out of the Gallimimus attraction—”

Then she saw _it—_ the thing—bursting out of the woods, pale and lithe, dashing for the truck.

“Oh my God,” she breathed. Her eyes focused in a snap, relaying bits of images to her overworked brain—the truck swerving, people screaming, children crying.

She yanked on the steering wheel. The car swung sharply down the hill.

“Hang on!” she shouted.

She stomped on the gas—tires skidding, clumps of grass spitting behind them. The truck was a fifty yards away and Sansa drove her car toward them. The goal: to pass right by them, to pass that _thing,_ and hope to God she could distract the animal long enough for the truck to escape.

She could do this. _She had to!_

Thirty yards. Twenty yards.

She glanced at Theon who was staring at her with wide eyes.

She slammed her hand on her horn.

Ten yards away.

The monster turned its head, neck twisting and stared right at them. Then, she saw its body turn, taking a step toward them.

Sansa's breath stalled in her chest. She swerved again, honking her horn over and over again. She peered up in her rear view mirror. _Holy fuck_ , it was right behind them! It roared and she swore she could see right down its throat.

Well, that worked, NOW WHAT??

“Sansa, look out!”

In a flash, another dinosaur bolted in front of them, one of those duck-billed ones. _An edmontosaurus_ , her brain supplied unhelpfully. Sansa's stomach lurched. She swerved again but it was too late. The edmontosaurus, smashed into the right side of the car so hard, the car rose up on its side. Sansa screamed as the car skidded on two wheels.

Then the car stopped, crashing back down on four wheels. She barely caught her breath when something slammed onto the hood. The edmontosaurus's body shattered the windshield. Glass pelted Sansa's face. There was a miserable bellow.

She could only stare at the large, greenish body taking up where her windshield used to be. Blood seeped onto the dashboard. There was a metallic crunch and the car dipped downward.

“Sansa!” Theon hissed. He was unclipping her seatbelt. “We have to get out!”

Sansa blinked in a daze.

“Are you hurt?” he whispered. He looked panicked.

She shook her head slowly. He reached over her and opened her car door, squeezing her hand to coax her to move.

“Come on, sweetheart,” he said. How he managed to sound both soft and urgent was a mystery. “Come on.”

Sansa snapped to and sprung into action, crawling out of her car with Theon right behind her. There was a sick slurping noise, blood everywhere.

Theon grabbed her hand. “Don't look,” he whispered. “Duck down.”

She did what he said and let him drag her into the jungle.

 

* * *

 

 


	5. Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I must say, writing action is strange and challenging but it's also really fun too. I hope you enjoy this chapter. It's pretty much non-stop from here on out and I kind of feel bad for putting Sansa and Theon through so much but they're tough. They can handle it, right? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA! Hope you enjoy and many apologies for any mistakes!

 

* * *

 

They had jogged for almost ten minutes, desperate to get as much distance between them and _that_ monster. Eventually, they slowed to a walk, carefully stepping over logs and trickling creeks. As they walked deeper into the jungle, the birds grew louder and the smell of wet dirt clung to the sticky air.

Theon was beside her, holding his rifle in a downward angle across his chest. She could feel him watching her, feel his concern. Did he think she was going to lose it? Honestly, she wasn't sure if she would but she was still moving and at least that was something.

“You're sweating,” he said.

Her gaze met his. There it was—that worried expression.

“I'm a heavy sweater,” she answered. “And it's hotter than shit out here.”

His hand grazed her elbow. “Let me take a look at you.”

She sighed and stopped, turning to face him. “I'm telling you, I sweat a lot.”

As if to make her point, a drop of sweat trickled down her cheek, following the path of her jaw then down to her chin. Theon's eyes traced its movement, watching it hover under her chin, before dropping down onto her chest, then disappearing between her cleavage under her shirt. His mouth parted and he took a step back.

“Sorry,” he murmured. “I...I was making sure you weren't in shock.”

“I probably am.” She huffed a laugh and continued walking. “You probably are too. God, what a nightmare of a day.”

“I've had worse,” he mumbled.

Sansa whipped her head. “What?”

He shrugged, a nonchalant gesture but Sansa could tell it wasn't. She wanted to ask him what he meant. She knew he did at least two combat tours but looking at his tense face, she decided to keep her mouth shut.

Instead, she looked around forest, trying her best to figure out where they were. “I'm pretty sure we're close to the old park center.”

“I think you're right.” Theon nodded to the left. “Over there, I think.”

She stared up at the jungle canopy. She loved this place, loved this beautiful island, loved the dinosaurs, even the terrifying raptors, and now there was a monster here running loose, wreaking havoc. All those people—the park's guests—coming to see the wondrous dinosaurs because they couldn't help being curious. Sansa was seduced by this place too—the history of it, the grandeur, but maybe, playing with the past this way—this was always going to be the outcome.

She stared down at the ground, her sneakers bright against the rich jungle dirt.

“I'm sorry,” she said.

“Why?” Theon's voice was genuinely confused.

“The truck.” She gestured behind her. “I saw that thing chasing after the tourists and I just...reacted.”

“Why are you sorry about that?”

“Because...I didn't ask. We could've both been killed.”

He snorted. “There wasn't any time to ask. Besides, you did the right thing. In fact...”

She peered at him, his eyes slid over to hers.

“It was a very brave thing you did,” he finished.

He smiled at her then—tentative and gentle and the tightness in Sansa's chest unraveled a bit. She smiled back at him.

Then his smile dropped. He stopped and put his hand on hers. She froze, staring into his eyes. They looked green against the jungle foliage. What a strange thing to notice right before things could go horribly wrong.

She was just about to ask him what was wrong when she noticed the birds were quiet.

Then, she smelled it. Decay.

He brought his rifle up slowly, his eyes doing a slow sweep of the trees.

A branch snapped like the crack of a whip. They both whirled on the spot. Then Sansa saw it, the Indominus, melting out of the jungle like water. Theon took aim and fired three shots. Three puffs of red burst around the monster's right knee. It stumbled, then roared so loud Sansa thought her ears would burst.

Now it looked pissed.

“Run!” Theon shouted.

Sansa took off, her hands pumping hard as she dashed through the trees.

“Keep going, Sansa!”

She could feel the ground shaking, hear that thing breathing but it sounded off—like it was coming from the right of her.

She turned her head and she saw Theon running at a slight angle, almost parallel to her, leading the Indominus away _from her!_

She slowed down to stare after him. _What the fuck!!_

Sansa watched helplessly as the Indominus closed in on him, just a few more strides and it would have him.

Before she could even think about it, she cupped her hands around her mouth and screamed, loud and piercing. It didn't work. The Indominus was almost on him. Desperate, Sansa ran toward it, screaming herself hoarse, waving her arms frantically. It was enough. The Indominus froze and swiveled its head toward her. Its pupils shrank down into slits.

Sansa's mouth went dry. “Oh, shit.”

She whirled and ran. The ground trembled. There was a roar behind her.

_Ohfuckohfuckohfuck._

She ran harder than she ever had in her life. She thanked the universe and every deity known to humankind that she decided to become a runner. Her legs knew what to do. Her muscles tingled with adrenaline, adding to her speed.

_Don't trip, don't trip, don't trip._

Her was heart beating so hard it felt like a bird was trying to burst out of her chest.

For a split second, everything felt surreal. This... _this_ wasn't happening. It couldn't be. But the animal part of her brain propelled her anyway as her legs moved on their own accord. The heavy footsteps felt closer. The smell of decay...

Unbidden, a memory floated to the surface. She was little, barely elementary school age and she was chasing Robb. She could never catch him. Her eyes burned in frustration. He slowed down and jogged next to her, lazy and unhurried and it only made her angrier.

“The key to running fast is to karate chop the air, Sansa,” he said. He straightened his hands out, pressing his fingers together. “Like this.”

“Okay,” she said. And she tried it. She thought it _did_ make her faster.

Another ear-splitting roar yanked her back to the present. She straightened her hands karate-style and pushed harder.

_She could do this! She could survive this!_

She glanced to the left. There. A thick clump of trees. She veered toward them. The footsteps were closer. She reached the trees, squeezing through them, leaping over fallen logs.

An earth-shaking crash. Another roar but further away. She didn't dare look behind her. Then she saw it—the ruins of the old park's visiter center. She sprinted for it, her lungs burning.

She slid through a crack in the wall, glancing behind her. It was nowhere in sight. She slowed to a walk as she looked around for a hiding place. Her breath came out in gasps. She put her hand to her chest, trying to quiet her breathing.

It was dark, the only light source was from the large holes in the enormous, cathedral ceiling. She walked quickly—quietly. Her eyes strained in the darkness. Then something grabbed her arm, pulling at her. She almost screamed. Whirling, her arms flew up—

“ _Theon??_ ” she gasped.

He was standing in front of her, his eyes wild.

He brought a finger to his lips. He glanced around then dragged her down a hall. The hall opened up to a massive room cut in half by a two-foot wide corridor. Studying it a little longer, she realized it must've been a wall at some point. Theon nodded once and pulled her in after him, angling his body to fit. She did the same. She tried not to whimper when they pushed through a cloud of cobwebs. Then he stopped and peered upward.

Like most of the building, there was a gaping hole in the ceiling. Sansa could see the tops of trees swaying overhead and the sky was so blue it made her chest ache. Then her eyes focused on all the spiderwebs laced above them. Her skin crawled and she tried not to think about all the webs they just walked through.

She was being ridiculous. There were more pressing things than spiders—like the giant, genetic nightmare that was hunting them right now!

Theon squeezed her hand. She met his eyes and they stared at each other, waiting.

Then a loud boom rattled the building. Debris skittered across the entrance of the corridor. Sansa flinched, biting her lips to keep quiet. Theon wriggled an arm around her waist and drew her closer, chest to chest. She could feel his heart thudding against hers.

There was an abrupt silence. Sansa's body tensed, her ears straining.

Then the Indominus slammed into the other side of their wall. The impact jostled them sideways. They both clung to each other. Dust rained down, sticking to her sweaty skin. The Indominus slammed the wall again and Sansa's bones rattled. An ear-piercing roar split the air. The stench of rot seeped into the cramped space.

A horrible scraping sound reverberated through the walls, moving upward. Then a shadow loomed overhead.

Slowly, they both looked up. A giant, ice-blue eye stared down at them. It grunted then began clawing at the wall. Chunks of debris tumbled over them. They covered their heads with their arms, pressing themselves against each other as everything shuddered around them. Sansa gritted her teeth, stifling the urge to scream.

The awful grinding sound continued. A piece of cement smacked her forearm. Dust was in her eyes, her mouth.

“Fuck!” Theon shouted. He reached down then swung his rifle upward and fired, once, then twice. The monster bellowed. The clawing stopped. They both coughed and peered upward. The thing was no longer in sight but it was still next to the wall, breathing.

Waiting...

_For what?_

Then she heard it. The unmistakable sound of a helicopter. There was growling grunt followed by heavy footsteps clomping away, then a bellowing roar in the distance.

They gazed at each other, lungs heaving.

“Do you...do you think you hurt it?” she whispered.

He shook his head. “I don't think so. Probably just curious about the helicopter.”

He stared at her and brought a hand to her face, his fingers brushing the curve of her cheek. Sansa's heart stuttered.

“Are you okay?” he asked quietly.

She swallowed hard, nodding. “Yeah, I think so.”

“Good.” His eyes were soft then he pulled his hand away. “Then what the _hell_ were you thinking, Sansa?”

Her mouth dropped open. “ _What?_ ”

“That stunt you pulled. To get it to chase you!” He looked livid.

Well, she was livid too. “Excuse me, but you were seconds away from getting eaten and I couldn't just stand there and let it happen, okay!”

“It's not...I'm not—”

“You're not what?” she snapped.

His mouth tightened. “You can't do that. I'm not worth you sacrificing...” He shook his head and glanced away.

That only made her angrier. She pushed into his space, her face inches from his. “First of all, you don't get to tell me what I can and cannot do. Second of all, I deal with self-serving assholes all day so I'm a _real_ good judge of who's worthy and who isn't,” she snapped. “And in the last hour, you have proven yourself more worthy than all those assholes put together, so don't you dare question me!”

Now, it was time for him to be shocked. “I'm sorry. I—” He took a deep breath. “When I saw you run off with that thing chasing you...” He shook his head. “I didn't think I would see you again.”

Her heart softened. “You were scared.”

“That's a very mild way of describing how I was feeling.”

“I understand,” she said. “That's exactly why I did what I did.”

He watched her carefully, his expression inscrutable. The grey in his eyes looked like water under the faint light. There were pieces of debris stuck in his hair, dust clinging to his eyelashes. Sansa wanted to brush it away.

His gaze roamed over the planes of her face, pausing at her mouth. He glanced away and nodded once. “We should go.”

Sansa's mouth opened then closed.

They stepped outside taking in the fresh air. After hearing a familiar roar off in the distance, they decided to walk in the opposite direction. Sansa was pretty sure the way they were going would lead them to a service road anyway.

Walking wasn't easy though. Her legs felt like jelly and she really hoped she didn't have run for her life again because wasn't sure if she actually could do it.

Her hand slipped into her pocket. It was empty. Well, fuck, her phone—it was probably sitting in her wreck of a car, covered in that poor edmontosaurus's blood.

She wiped the heel of her hand over her forehead and grimaced. It felt gritty. So, she was still sweaty and now she was dirty. She glanced at Theon who looked dirty too—his face grimy, his hair a dull grey from the dust, his shirt and trousers the same color—but as her eyes traced the lines of his profile, he looked...good. _Better_  than good.

She blinked and looked away. Her heart did a slow somersault. Hadn't her heart been through enough today—through the stress, through the terror and now _this_ —whatever this was?

Annoyed, she threaded her fingers through her hair and was horrified to feel a layer of spider webs in it.

_On top of everything she had spider webs in her hair??_

She tried not squirm as she ran rushed, trembling hands all over her face and chest.

“What's going on?” Theon said, watching her with the now familiar worried expression on his face.

“It's stupid,” she muttered. “I'm...covered in spider webs.”

“From that corridor?” he said. “Yeah, it was pretty gross in there.” He walked over to her and slung the strap of his rifle over his shoulder. “Let's stop for a minute and I'll help you get rid of them.”

She stopped walking and he settled behind her. Gently, he combed his fingers through hair, careful not to pull too hard on the tangles. Then his hands brushed over neck and shoulders and down her arms. He moved to her front and swept his fingers over her face, then his palms over her waist and hips, his touch quick but gentle. He crouched down and ran his hands over her calves and shins. Her breath caught. And her skin _tingled_.

He peered up at her, his eyes wide with surprise. “Oh.” He stood up abruptly. He looked horrified. “Oh, sorry. I shouldn't have just touched...I should've asked first.”

“It's okay.” Her voice sounded breathless.

He nodded, his movements jerky. “Okay. Great.”

“Great,” she said, and _of course_ her voice had to crack when she said it. “Theon, I—”

There was a noise, the familiar whine of motorcycles in the distance. They both looked at each other and began running toward the sounds. A few minutes later, they reached the service road and, even better, an entire fleet of park vehicles. Sansa almost wept with relief.

They managed to to catch a ride on the back of a jeep with a couple of park rangers while the driver told them the latest news.

“They think its near the atrium,” the driver yelled over his shoulder. “Security is sending in a chopper.”

Sansa held her long hair in her hand to keep the wind from whipping it in her face. “Live ammunition this time?”

“Yeah, thank God,” the driver answered. “They have all the guests corralled in the center of the square.”

Sansa frowned at that. Another mistake. Everyone should be heading to the docks for the ferries. She met Theon's eyes. He looked grim. Then a shadow flitted over them. She raised her gaze to the skies and thought, _that's a strange-looking bird_.

“Oh my God,” she whispered.

That was no bird.

 

* * *

 

 

 


	6. Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I was sweating writing this chapter! UGH! Writing action is a little stressful not gonna lie. A huge thank you to everyone who commented, left kudos or took time out of their day to read this. Means a lot! I've outlined the rest of this fic and I'm thinking there will be another 4 chapters. I'm really hoping you like where I take this story! 
> 
> Apologies for any typos :)

 

* * *

 

 

Sansa could barely think over all the noise. Between the park rangers yelling over each other—GO,GO, GO and I AM GOING—and the rumbling of the jeep's engine and now the screeching pterosaurs trailing after them, she was sure of only one thing—she was getting real tired of being scared all the time.

The jeep skidded through a turn. Sansa clung to the door, hoping to arrive back in the park in one piece. There were now dozens of pterosaurs flying behind them. Thankfully, the jeep outpaced the creatures, but only barely.

Theon had his rifle raised, ready for anything.

Finally, the park came into view. The wall was already lined with security guards all armed with tranquilizer guns.

As soon as they passed the gates, they thanked the park rangers and leapt out of the jeep. They both raced through a passageway but pulled up short when they hit a sea of people on the main street. Sansa stared at the throng. There were so many people out here, all exposed. They had no idea what was coming. There were children, babies in their mother's arms. Sansa wanted to cry.

The sirens blared, then the piercing screeches. Large fast-moving shadows flitted over the ground. The sky was filled with swooping pterosaurs.

The crowd panicked, running every which way like a swarm of bees. Theon raised his rifle and fired. A dimorphodon dropped at Sansa's feet, it's overly-large head on its small body looked almost ridiculous if not for the rows of fierce-looking teeth.

Everything was chaos. Sansa could hardly tell what was going on. Pterasaurs screeched overhead, people screamed and jostled her about. Theon stood next to her, firing up at the sky.

He shook her arm. “We gotta—” A dimorphodon flew out of nowhere, knocking him off his feet. They tumbled to the ground, wrestling. The creature snapped it's jaws, millimeters from his face. Sansa raced over, kicking it in the head. It whipped around and lunged at her, jaws wide. Theon raised his rifle—a deafening crack and it went limp. Theon shoved it off him.

Sansa crouched next to him, running her shaky hands over his face and neck. No blood. “You okay?”

Theon panted but managed a shaky smile then his eyes widened in horror. “Get down!”

Sansa made to move but too late. Something yanked her shoulder. Pain shot through her arm. She was being lifted off her feet. She turned to stare at the enormous bird-like foot squeezing her shoulder. It was a pteradon—one of the big ones. It squawked loudly, its snout long and deadly. She kicked her feet helplessly and tried to pry off the foot but its grip was too strong. Then a shot rang out.

The pteradon faltered, dropping several feet. Suddenly, hands grabbed her leg. She looked down. Theon was clinging to her, his face pale but determined but the pteradon was massive enough to carry both of them though it couldn't lift them any higher.

They were now a few feet off the ground but still moving fast. Sansa's heart stopped. They were heading straight toward the water, over the mosasaurus tank—that thing could swallow a great white shark whole. No, they weren't going over that tank. They couldn't!

Sansa could feel it— _resolve_ knitting itself into her body. She twisted her head and bit down on the creature's foot as hard as she could. It shrieked and dropped them before they reached the edge of the tank.

They both fell in a heap on the concrete, groaning in pain.

“I think they're flying away,” Theon gasped.

The pterosaurs _were_ flying away, flocks of them soaring southbound.

She sat up and rubbed her tailbone. “Oh, thank God.”

“Did you...bite its foot?” he asked, dumbfounded.

“Yeah, it was the only thing I could think of.”

He smiled at her, then pulled her into a hug, laughing. Sansa laughed too, tucking her head into his neck. He smelled good, even with the layer of dirt and sweat. She stayed there for a moment, catching her breath and indulging in the momentary feeling of safety.

“Come on,” he said, offering her his hand. “Let's get you back to the Control Room.”

Slowly, they got to their feet. All around them, dozens of prone pterosaurs lay on the ground. Tranquilizer darts stuck out from their bodies. There weren't many people out in the open now, most found shelter indoors.

They took a minute to search for Theon's rifle. Once they found it, Sansa led him through an alleyway alongside the park center. She punched in a code at one of the side doors and they entered into a long, brightly-lit corridor.

“This is the back end of the lab,” Sansa explained. She pointed down another corridor. “This way leads to the Control Room.”

“Sansa.” Theon grasped her hand. “Go on without me.”

She shook her head, confused. “Without you?”

“I'm going to the lab,” he said. “I need some answers. I need to know what they did to my raptors.”

She watched him closely, her chest heavy. “I...hope you get them.”

He seemed to struggle for the right words. “I'll...” He threaded his fingers through hers. “I'll come back for you, okay.”

She let out breath and smiled softly. “Okay.”

“Wait for me in the Control Room.”

“I will,” she said. “Good luck.”

“You too.”

Slowly, he brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it like some honest-to-god prince in a fairytale. She flushed and before she could say or do anything in return, Theon turned and left, leaving her staring after him.

“Well,” she breathed. “That was...”

She didn't know what that was.

 

* * *

 

Sansa wasn't sure what she expected when the elevator doors opened to the Control Room, but seeing her staff busy working with Jeyne in the center of the room staring at the glowing map of the park and Joffrey nowhere in sight, was definitely the most probable scenarios.

She stepped out of the elevator and a hush descended in the room as everyone turned and to look at her.

Jeyne turned and gasped. She ran over to Sansa, her eyes taking in Sansa's appearance. “Oh my God! You're alive!”

Jeyne flung her arms around her and Sansa hugged her back.

“We were so scared! Security found your car and your phone,” Jeyne said, pulling back. Her eyes were filled with tears. “What happened to you?” she demanded. “Are you okay??”

Sansa took a deep breath. “It's a very long story and I'll tell you soon,” she said. “But first I need you to fill me in.”

In a rush, Jeyne gave her an update—the evacuation was now in full effect. They both went over the evacuation protocols and, thankfully, most of them had already been implemented. Every ferry available would be docking at the island soon, along with helicopters to transport the wounded and the local hospitals were on high alert.

The Costa Rican government and the US military were deploying ships to the island as well. If everything went as planned, the evacuation would be over in a matter of hours.

But there was still so much to do.

Over an hour had passed and the Control Room was nearly empty. Sansa had ordered most of the staff to evacuate and that left herself, Jeyne and a couple of other techs to finish up the evacuation details.

Sansa had wrapped up a phone call to the bank, relieved that she managed to secure enough emergency funds for accommodations and ground transportation in Costa Rica for the park's guests. Everything was lined up. Now they just had to wait until everyone was off the island.

Sansa glanced at the clock and wondered where Theon was. She thought about looking for him but then the elevator doors opened and he stepped into the Control Room. He looked tense, dirty and lovely all at the same time. His hand rested against the shoulder strap of his rifle as his gaze swept the room, landing on Sansa. He strode over to her and pulled her aside.

She searched his face. “What happened?”

“Well, what Baelish hinted at was right. My raptors _are_ genetically modified but, unfortunately, all of the details are classified,” Theon said quietly. “No one could or would tell me, even when I got...” His mouth twisted. “...a little intense. I did get lucky though, Jo's sister works in the lab and she was able to confirm some things.”

“Okay,” Sansa prompted.

He stepped closer to her. “I'm not exactly sure what those scientists did but they somehow...” He looked distressed. “...somehow they tweaked the raptors DNA sequencing or something—made them more pliable, easier to train.” His jaw clenched. “I've been so stupid. Their goal was always military use.”

“I'm so sorry, Theon.”

“That's not the most fucked up part.” He took a shaky breath. “Baelish is going to use the raptors to hunt the Indominus.”

“ _What?_ ” she hissed. “When?”

“Soon. If he's not on his way already.” He jerked his head, his eyes hard. “He's been wanting to field test them and he thinks this his chance.”

“But that's crazy!”

“It is. And I have to stop him.”

“Okay, I'm coming with you”

“Sansa...” He looked pained.

“I'm coming and that's final,” she said firmly.

Surprisingly, Theon nodded and she wasn't going to dwell on why he relented so easily.

She strode over to Jeyne. “I have to go,” she said. “Don't wait too long to get yourself on a boat—”

“But someone has to be here, just in case,” Jeyne said.

“I know.” She gave Jeyne a pointed look. “And it'll be me. I'm coming back here but there's something I have to do first.”

Jeyne hesitated. “Okay.”

Sansa knew that look. “Jeyne, I mean it,” Sansa said, staring at her friend. “Promise me you'll be off this island in the next hour.”

“I...” She nodded reluctantly. “I promise.”

“Good.” She gave Jeyne a quick hug. “I'll see you back on the mainland, okay. Be safe.”

“You too.” Then, with a smirk, she leaned into Sansa's ear. “By the way, you guys look good together.”

Sansa bit back a smile before heading to the elevator with Theon.

They went to her office first, where Sansa grabbed an extra set of keys to one of the park vans. She glanced out the large windows of office. The sky was quickly darkening to dusk. She swallowed hard and walked out the door with Theon to the elevator.

He pressed the elevator button, his expression soft. “You okay?”

She almost nodded then stopped herself. “No, I don't think I am.”

“Yeah,” he said softly. “I feel the same way.”

And Sansa knew, staring into his eyes, that he did. He smiled gently at her and her heart warmed. She wasn't okay but she knew she would be.

Then the elevator doors slid open and that warm feeling sank like a rock because standing there was the last person she expected, or _wanted_ , to see.

She scowled. “Joffrey.”

He stepped out of the elevator, his eyes taking in her disheveled appearance. “What the fuck happened to you?”

She glared at him, her hands squeezing into fists. “I got chased through the jungle by a monster, what do you think happened!” she snapped.

His eyes hardened and he took a step toward her. Next to her, Theon tensed, his weight shifting. Joffrey froze, his eyes flickered between her, Theon and the rifle strapped to Theon's back.

“Well, you're here now, I suppose,” he sneered. “You're needed in the Control Room.”

Sansa could actually feel it—feel her temperature jump just by looking at his stupid face and hearing his stupid voice.

“I just came from the Control Room.” She could barely keep her voice from shaking. “And, as usual, everything is taken care of, so you don't have lift a finger and actually do your damn job for once. But...” she said, her tone like ice, “if you feel like you need to make a pathetic show of effort then, by all means, go to the Control Room yourself.”

His mouth fell open. “Wait, you're _leaving_? You can't!”

Sansa whirled on him, the dam to her anger finally breaking. “Listen here, you little weasel, your days of telling me what to do are over! Do you understand me? I have taken your disrespect, your laziness, your spitefulness and you disgusting leering for far too long and for _what_? To almost get myself killed by some frankenstein monster the lab created?”

Joffrey stared at her like he was seeing her the first time. “H-How dare you—”

“Oh, fuck off, Joffrey!”

She turned to leave but Joffrey snatched her arm, his grip bruising. Rage surged through her. She swung before thinking—her fist tight, arm strong, her aim true—and punched him right in the face.

He staggered back, clutching his nose. Blood gushed behind his hand and into his mouth.

“You—you, bitch!”

Joffrey stumbled toward her but Theon was already there, slamming his forearm into Joffrey's chest. Joffrey fell hard on his ass, the front of shirt already stained with blood. He stared up at them in shock.

“If you were smart you'd shut the fuck up right now before you lose more than just your dignity, asshole,” Theon warned, his tone deadly serious.

They left Joffrey blubbering and bleeding on the floor.

Sansa was grinning as they took the elevator down to the parking garage. Relief, vindication and sweet, sweet revenge—all those feelings made a wonderful concoction of satisfaction and Sansa wanted to ride that feeling as long as possible.

Theon smiled at her—the cute, little gap in his teeth peeking past his lips.

“I don't think I've ever seen anyone so happy after punching someone in the face,” he said, with a shake of his head.

“He was my arch-enemy and it needed to be done,” she said. “Enjoying it was just an added...” She smirked. “Perk.”

Theon chuckled at that, his eyes crinkling. “Well, when you put it like that...I guess it makes sense,” he said.

He was still smiling when they climbed into the massive, armory van. He was still smiling when he drove them out of the parking garage. And Sansa was smiling too.

 

* * *

 

 


	7. Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHHHHHHH!!! I really hope you all like this chapter! Again, my apologies for any mistakes!

 

* * *

 

 

The van raced down the dusty road. The sun had just set over the hills and the sky was growing darker. Dusk was Sansa's favorite time on the island, with its fiery sunsets, lavender skies and twinkling fireflies. She wished she could enjoy it one last time. Instead, she watched the passing trees anxiously. Soon, it would be too dark to see anything and the jungle would turn into one giant, inky mass.

“Meera told me more,” Theon said.

Sansa turned to him. “What?”

His eyes flickered over to her briefly. The lights from the dashboard illuminated his face. “Jo's sister. The lab's computer system is getting purged tonight.”

Sansa was confused. “They're deleting everything? All their research and samples?”

“The research and physical samples are off-sight already,” Theon said. “It's been that way for years. They learned their lesson from the first park, I guess. But Jo's sister is going to download some of the files—not the actual research. She doesn't have access to that but she does have access to communications between InGen officials and god-knows-who-else.”

Sansa's eyes widened. “What's she going to do with that information?”

“She'll put it on a flashdrive but security is tight. The lab techs will be searched before they evacuate the island and again after they touch down in Costa Rica. She won't be able to smuggle it out,” he said. “She has no choice but to hide it in the lab and hope someone retrieves it.

“Okay,” Sansa said. “Then we'll get it tonight.”

Theon's hands tightened around the steering wheel. “No, _I'll_ get it tonight.”

Sansa stared at him. “What?”

He glanced at her, his jaw tense. “You'll be on a boat with my crew.”

“ _What??_ ” Then it dawned on her. “Now I know why you didn't put up a fight when I wanted to come with you.”

“One of my guy's uncle is a local fisherman. He's on his way right now to pick everyone up.”

“I can't believe you!” she hissed.

His expression turned incredulous. “Did you really think I'd be okay with bringing you into the middle of a hornets nest, Sansa??”

“I didn't think you would trick me, Theon!”

He stared at the road, his face set in that stubborn expression from when he was a kid. “An InGen security team has already landed on the other side of the island. There'll be a lot of guns and a lot of testosterone and these guys will be extremely trigger happy.”

She glared at him so hard she was sure he could feel it. “There is no way I'm getting on that boat!”

His eyes flashed. “You will!”

She planted her hand on the console between them and leaned into his space.

“You'll have to drag me kicking and screaming,” she whispered, enunciating her words carefully.

He glared back at her. “Then that's what I'll do.”

She opened her mouth but then the bright lights of the raptor compound came into view.

“They're not here yet.” Theon let out a breath. “Thank God.”

He parked the van, threw the keys on the dashboard and grabbed his rifle. Then he gave Sansa a hard look and got out. Sansa ground her teeth. If he thought for one fucking second she was done with this conversation, then he was a bigger moron than she thought. She already punched one guy today, why not two!

She stepped out of the van and slammed the door, stomping over to him.

“Hey!” She grabbed him by the arm and spun him around to face her.

He stared at her defiantly but he didn't shake her off. “I need to find Jo and then you guys are leaving,” he said firmly.

“You listen to me,” she said through gritted teeth. “I have my own plans and none of them involve jumping on some boat and hightailing it out of here.”

“Sansa, I don't—”

“No! You shut up!” She took a slow step into his space. “ _I—”_ she said, pointing at herself. “ _I_ am going to be the last person off this island, do you understand me?” She tapped her chest with her finger. _“Me.”_

She inched closer to him. He gazed into her eyes, his expression tense.

“I already have this worked out,” she continued. “I'm going back to the Control Room. I'm going to open all the paddocks. And I'm going to free all the dinosaurs because I'm not going to leave them trapped in their pens to starve to death. They'll at least have a chance to survive and live in the wild and do all the little things that dinosaurs like to do and if you think I'm going to let anyone stop me—even _you_ —then you don't know me very well.”

“I'm not going to let them starve either, Sansa. I was going to do that too!”

“With what access codes?”

He huffed a frustrated sound. “With someone's—” He struggled for a moment. He clearly hadn't thought that far. “I'll use _yours_.”

Sansa let out loud laugh—it was fake and ugly and she didn't care. “There is no way, I'm giving those to you!”

“Even if you're already off the island and I'm the only one left on it?” he said confidently—like he had just won the argument.

“Even if you manage to drag me off this island, I'll just jump on some boat and come right back!” she snapped back. “Like I told you before, you don't get to tell me what to do!”

The expression on Theon's face seemed to flicker through a litany of emotions: shock, anger, frustration but there was something else—something searing. His eyes dipped down to her lips. Sansa was suddenly at a loss for words. His face tilted, drifting closer—

“Boss?”

Sansa jumped back. Jo was standing there, his eyes darting between the two of them.

“Uh, sorry to interrupt but the guys are in the truck and ready for Ms. Stark,” Jo said.

“I'm not leaving,” she said.

Theon stepped back, his expression angry again. “She's staying, Jo,” he said through clenched teeth. “I want you guys to leave but hang close to the island, just in case.”

Jo hesitated, then nodded slowly. “Okay, we'll keep the usual channels open. And Theon...” He stood there, fidgeting slightly. “I'll see you both soon, yeah?”

Theon smiled. “Yeah.”

Jo sent them one last look and turned away, jogging into the darkness. A minute later, they saw the red taillights of a large, covered truck, rumbling down the road.

Theon walked to the enclosure of the paddock and propped his forearms on the bars. Sansa followed and stood next to him, peering up at the half moon. A warm breeze ruffled the hair around her neck and she breathed in the fresh, rich smell of the jungle.

She rested her chin on a bar and stared into the pen. The raptors were nowhere in sight.

“Are they sleeping?” she asked.

“Maybe,” he said. “Or they sense something is going on.”

Maybe it was from hearing Theon's voice, but a raptor's head popped up out of the bushes. Sansa recognized the white stripe against the animal's neck. Gradually, more heads raised from out of the bushes. Ghost slowly stepped out into the open area. She was watching them closely—assessing—her movements careful. Theon smiled fondly at her.

“I'm freeing them too,” he said. “ _We_ are freeing them.”

“Of course we are,” she agreed. “We'll figure out the safest way to do it—for them and for us.”

He tilted his head to look at her. His eyes looked sea-blue under the bright lights of the compound. His mouth quirked up on one side as his gaze slowly traced every inch of her face. Sansa's heart jumped.

Then, off in the distance, sounds of vehicles approaching. A row of headlights emerged from the darkness. The soft look on Theon's face melted away, replaced by something hard.

Sansa felt a pit in her stomach. She knew she made the right decision to stay but it didn't mean she wasn't uneasy.

The row of vehicles rolled up to the paddock—a convoy of SUVs, armory trucks and motorcycles. Baelish stepped out of an SUV in black tactical gear and a pistol strapped to his thigh, a huge change from his perfectly-tailored suits.

His mouth curved into a lazy smile when he saw Sansa. He made his way toward them, his eyes calculating. Theon turned and faced him. Sansa stayed next to the enclosure. She knew it was strange but she felt safer closer to the raptors.

“Ms. Stark,” Baelish said with a sigh. “I'm so happy you're okay.”

“Thank you,” she said coldly.

His gaze slid over to Theon. “Ah, Mr. Greyjoy. I think you know why we're here.”

Theon angled his head. “Yeah, you want my raptors to hunt a genetically-modified monster.”

“Your raptors...” Baelish chuckled at that.

“What you're asking is madness,” Theon said.

“You forget that I've seen them work,” Baelish said. He raised a hand and snapped his fingers. The doors from the other vehicles opened. Men, all dressed in dark, military gear, armed with an array of weapons, stepped out into the night air. One strode over to Baelish and handed him a package wrapped in cloth.

Baelish peeled the cloth back. Sitting in his hand, was a chunk of pale, scaly flesh and attached to it...

“The tracker,” Baelish said. “From the Indominus.” He gestured at the paddock. “Now, I've seen you do your scent-driven exercises, Greyjoy. I know what your raptors are capable of.”

“If I let these raptors out,” Theon warned. “It doesn't mean they'll follow my commands. They may decide they like freedom a little too much and kill every single one of us.”

Baelish narrowed his eyes. Then he smiled slowly. “You're either underestimating your animals or you're lying and since I'm an excellent judge of character,” he said in his slow, deliberate way. “I'm going to go with lying.”

Sansa shifted her feet. Baelish's security team didn't look very friendly.

“Now, Mr. Greyjoy,” Baelish continued. “We can do this the easy way,” he slid his pistol out of its holster, “or the hard way.”

Sansa's breath stuttered. Behind her, the raptors began to pace restlessly, chirping softly like a flock of birds.

“I'm not doing it,” Theon answered. “I won't.”

“I think you'll find that I have ways to make anyone do anything,” Baelish said quietly. Slowly, he brought the gun up and aimed it at Theon's head. Theon stiffened.

Sansa's heart was in her throat. “Baelish, what are you _doing??_ ” she stuttered.

Baelish ignored her. The raptors were growing louder and Sansa couldn't think. Something—she had do to _something._

“You have nothing to say, Mr. Greyjoy?” Baelish scoffed.

“Fuck you,” Theon ground out.

Sansa stepped forward. “Baelish...” she pleaded. “Don't.”

Baelish's eyes slid over to her. He sighed loudly. “This happens sometimes. You'll meet someone who doesn't care enough about self-preservation.”

Suddenly, Baelish swung his arm and pointed the gun right at her. She froze, her eyes fixed on the black hole of the barrel.

Theon's eyes widened in panic. He raised his arms. “Please,” he breathed. “Please.”

Sansa couldn't move. She felt like every muscle in her body was fused in place with ice.

Baelish gazed at her with regret. “I'm sorry, darling.” He cocked the gun. “This truly isn't personal.”

“Okay!” Theon called out, breathless. He edged closer to Sansa, his arms still raised. “Please. Don't hurt her.”

The raptors were now chittering incessantly behind her. She could hear them pawing at the ground, hear the dull, rhythmic thuds of their talons.

Then, abruptly, they went silent. Baelish hadn't noticed yet, none of his men did either, but Sansa did. And judging the way Theon's eyes slid toward the jungle, he did too.

There was a noise to the right. Sansa turned her head minutely. Her arms prickled. It was a creak, like the sound a tree makes in a wind storm.

Baelish _did_ hear that, his head jerking. The rest of his security team heard it too. They readied their guns, necks craning to see through the trees.

Theon stepped in front of her.

There was a slow, heavy thud. The ground vibrated. Then the trees swayed violently, a loud shuffling of leaves, snapping of branches. Then _it_ stepped out of the jungle like a nightmare and all hell broke loose.

 

* * *

 

 


	8. Eight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHEW! Writing action is kicking my butt. I did survive tho (barely). Hope you enjoy :)

 

* * *

 

It was utter chaos. One moment the Indominus was out in the open, the next there was a chorus of gunshots, all overlapping and building over each other. Sansa clapped her hands over ears, squinting through the blinding bursts of gunfire. There was a loud bellow.

Theon grabbed her arm, hauling her to the other side of the enclosure and pulled her behind him. They both crouched down as he unslung his rifle.

She craned her neck, peering past the bars of the enclosure. She couldn't see the monster. It wasn't in the clearing. The mercenaries glanced around wearily. Then, out of nowhere, a motorcycle soared through the air, slamming into the wall of the paddock.

The Indominus lunged out of the trees and snapped its jaws over a man, severing him in half. Sansa choked back a cry.

The mercenaries surged forward, all firing. The Indominus backed away. Another man stepped forward with what looked like a large, black box on his shoulder.

Theon made a noise, his face shifting away from the scope of his rifle.

Sansa blinked. Then she recognized the black box from all the terrible action movies Robb had made her watch with him as a kid.

“Is that a _rocket launcher_?” she whispered.

In a flash, the Indominus whipped around, its tail swiping an entire row of men. They all tumbled backward, including the man with the rocket launcher but not before he fired it. The missile flew off into the air—a spiraling tail of light shooting across the clearing, hitting the ground on the other side of the paddock with a earth-shaking _BOOM_ and setting the surrounding brush on fire.

Smoke billowed into the air, obscuring the clearing like a thick fog. Sansa's nostrils burned. Her eyes watered. She couldn't see a damn thing. She could hear the Indominus though—the heavy thud of its feet, the snapping of branches. It was moving through the trees again.

How long did they have until the Indominus noticed them hiding in the shadows?

The smoke cleared slightly. Several bodies littered the ground. A few of the mercenaries struggled to get back on their feet.

Theon twisted his head. “Sansa, do you see the rocket launcher?” He gestured with his chin.

Sansa squinted past the bodies. Her stomach twisted. There—a boxy shape in the dirt, close to the edge of the trees.

“Yeah,” she breathed.

“Good. I'm going to shoot it. It'll explode,” he whispered. “When it does, I want you to make a run for one of the vehicles.”

“ _What?_ ” Her heart dropped. “I'm not leaving you.”

“Please. You have to.” He met her gaze, his eyes desperate. “I have to free my raptors. If I don't, they'll be sitting ducks in there. Please, Sansa.”

She understood. Theon couldn't know if or who his raptors would target once he freed them. He would be fine. She might not be.

Tears welled up in her eyes. “Okay.”

“I'll meet you back in the Control Room,” he promised. He said it so convincingly, she believed him.

She took a shaky breath and nodded.

He smiled softly at her and reached for her hand, giving it a squeeze. “On the count of three.”

He faced forward and gripped his rifle, one eye peering into the scope.

Sansa readied herself, both hands on the ground, feet firmly set.

He took a deep, steady breath and Sansa watched the strong lines of his shoulders rise slowly. “One.”

Sansa's chest tingled, the sensation spreading to her arms and legs.

“Two.”

She turned her focus onto the closest vehicle. A black SUV, just on the other side of the enclosure.

“Three.”

Theon pulled the trigger. A loud crack rang across the clearing. The rocket launcher exploded with an ear-piercing _BANG_. A rogue missile shot into the trees. Another deafening explosion. The inside of the forest lit up like a bonfire.

“Go!” Theon hissed.

She sprang forward and sprinted around the enclosure, heart racing, blood pumping hard. It felt like forever but it couldn't have been more than a few seconds. She was almost there, just a couple more feet. Then, just as her hand reached the door handle, the SUV's tires squealed. The SUV lurched forward. She stared into the driver's side window right into the cold eyes of Petyr Baelish as he peeled away.

She watched in disbelief as the SUV's taillights raced down the dirt road.

“Asshole!” she shrieked.

She whipped around as more men jumped in the remaining trucks and SUVs, leaving her _literally_ in the dust.

“Sansa!”

Panicked, Sansa turned toward the voice. Theon was already inside the enclosure.

“Get to the van!” he yelled frantically.

_Right. The van!_

She whirled and took off down the driveway, her stride wide, hands karate-chopping the air. Her legs were aching when she reached the van, lungs heaving. She wrenched the door open and clambered inside, snatching the keys off the dashboard. Without warning, a heavy sob wracked her chest. Tears burned her eyes. Her vision blurred. Her hands were shaking so hard she couldn't put the key into the ignition. _This_ was happening. The emotional toll of the day was finally catching up with her.

“It's okay to cry, Sansa,” she said in a wrecked voice. “It's okay to cry.” She was gasping for breath. “Just put the _fucking_ keys in the ignition while you do it!”

A familiar, thundering roar pulled her up short, quieting her immediately. She wiped her eyes with her hands and watched in horror as the Indominus ambled out from the jungle toward the paddock just as Theon opened a large, mechanical shoot from the enclosure. The raptors darted out past him into the clearing. The Indominus stopped several yards away, staring down at the raptors, its head quirking to the side. They stared back, forming a half circle around it, tails swishing.

The Indominus made a loud barking sound. It sounded distinct. _Familiar_. Ghost answered with her own bark. A chill swept over Sansa.

The other raptors watched expectantly. Theon stood frozen in the enclosure, one hand still on the button of the shoot, the other hand clasping his rifle.

“What the...” Sansa whispered. Were they... _talking_ to each other?

Then she remembered, _mostly a T-Rex..._

“Oh my God,” Sansa gasped. It's also part raptor.

The Indominus grunted, its nose bobbing in the air. Slowly, all the raptors twisted their heads toward Theon, who stood there, watching them. Realization dawned on his face. The Indominus made another grunt and Ghost returned her attention back to the Indominus. She clicked her jaws.

 _Something_ was happening. Time slowed down as the tension rose. Ghost glanced back at Theon, her head angling from side to side. The Indominus made another barking sound.

Then Ghost whipped her head back to the Indominous and hissed at it. Her sisters did the same, crouching low, talons flexing.

All at once, they pounced on the Indominus, clambering over it like a swarm of ants.

“Holy shit!”

The Indominus reared, trying to shake off the raptors. It managed to seize one of the raptors in its jaws, biting down hard before tossing it into the trees. Another raptor fell and the Indominus grabbed its head with its jaws and snapped its neck, flinging it away like a doll.

The darker raptor clung to the Indominus's head, clawing it viciously. The Indominus whipped its neck, tossing it aside. It slammed into the paddock and slid down to the ground. Theon was there in an instant, firing his rifle into the monster's belly as he stood like the flimsiest of barriers between _it_ and the fallen raptor.

That idiot was going to get himself killed!

Sansa fumbled with the keys.

The Indominus shook its body like a dog and the other two raptors flew off. Ghost fell into Theon, leaving them both sprawling.

Sansa shoved the key into the ignition and cranked it.

The Indominus returned its focus on the fallen raptor who was now slowly getting back up. Ghost scrambled to her feet and leapt in front of the Indominus, shrieking. The Indominus roared back and stepped forward.

Sansa threw the van in drive and stomped on the accelerator. The van shot out, rear tires fishtailing. She aimed the van straight for the Indominus. It turned its head and saw her. It stepped back but it wasn't enough. The van clipped the Indominus's leg and the creature toppled over.

Sansa stomped on the brakes. The van skidded to a halt. She looked around and saw Theon and his raptors all staring at her with the same shocked expression like the most bizarre, fucked up comedy.

Behind her was an angry bellow. Sansa peered in the sideview mirror. The Indominus was still off its feet but not for long. Sansa threw the van into reverse and hit the gas. She slammed into it again. Then she drove forward and backed up again, slamming it harder. The third time was _not_ the charm. As Sansa reversed back into it again, the Indominus twisted away, leaving the van careening along the clearing.

Sansa hit the brakes and the van lurched to a stop. Her heart felt like it was trying to crawl up her throat. The Indominus got up. Its cold, blue eyes fixed on her like a laser. It widened its stance and roared so loudly the van rattled from the sheer force of it.

The message was loud and clear. _This_ was personal.

The Indominus began to advance.

“Oh fuck!”

Sansa hit the gas and the van swerved in a half circle before bolting down the driveway. With the trees blotting out the moon's light, it was just too dark to go as fast as she wanted. She could only see what the headlights lit up, which was only ten feet in front of her. The rearview and sideview mirrors were useless—nothing but darkness. It didn't matter though, she could hear the creature howling behind her.

The driveway curved sharply, forcing Sansa to slow down to keep from skidding off into the trees. She white-knuckled the steering wheel. Just a few more seconds and the driveway would straighten out and she would be out on the main road.

She would be able to haul ass from there and surely she could shake off the Indominus. She glanced nervously in her sideview mirror. She thought she caught a glimpse of its pale body. It looked further away. Sansa let out a breath.

Ahead of her was the main road, she hit the gas and and sped onto it. Then the unthinkable happened—the back of the van began to wobble slowly then violently.

“Are you fucking kidding me??” she cried.

There was loud pop then an awful grinding noise. The van began to shake even harder, veering to the left. What the fuck was that? _A tire??_

With a grunt, she forced the van to continue straight. It still wobbled dangerously. She peered into the sideview mirror again. Thankfully, she didn't see anything that resembled the Indominus but there were sporadic burst of sparks where her tire would've been.

She swallowed hard and squeezed the steering wheel, willing the van to hang on. She had no choice. She had to keep going.

The van staggered onward and the jungle receded into a wide, open valley. To her right, on one side of the valley, were more trees, and on the other side was a cliff that dropped several hundred feet into the Pacific Ocean, all of it lit up in the soft, silvery light of the moon.

The van's shaking grew worse. It couldn't move any faster and it was getting harder to control. Her eyes slid to the mirror again and she screamed. It was a raptor's face reflected back. She whipped her head to the left. It was Ghost, running alongside her.

Ghost chirped loud enough for Sansa to hear. Then movement from Sansa's right caught her attention. Two raptors ran next to the van on the other side. Her heart jumped.

What was happening? _Were they hunting her??_

There was no hissing or growling, no snapping at her. They didn't seem aggressive. In fact, they seemed to be escorting her.

Ghost chirped again. The other raptors chattered back. All of them seemed to be staring at her. Were they _talking_ to her?

The raptors parted from the road, still running with the van but giving Sansa a wider berth. She wondered why until she saw a lone headlight flickering in the sideview mirror. She squinted. A motorcycle. It was moving fast, quickly catching up to her.

Theon drove up to her right, his hair and shirt fluttering in the wind. She could've wept at the sight of him.

She rolled down her window.

“Your tire doesn't look so good,” he shouted over the motorcycle's engine.

Sansa shook her head.

“We'll get a little farther then we'll ditch the van!”

“Okay!” she shouted back.

He gave her a small smile and sped off, steering the motorcycle onto the road in front of her. She stared at him, lit up bright from the van's headlights, his rifle strapped to his back, his shirt flapping behind him and a glimpse of another smaller gun tucked in the back of his trousers. The raptors sidled up next to him, keeping pace easily.

Okay, this might the weirdest moment of her life.

Spoken too soon. Without warning, all three raptors jerked their heads to the right. Theon's back straightened, his head turning to the right too, his expression worried. The raptors began to move their mouths—tiny snaps of their jaws. A cold weight sunk in Sansa's belly. She had seen them do that before, right before the Indominus attacked the paddock.

Suddenly, the raptors scattered into the darkness. Theon was now staring hard to his right. He twisted in his seat and met her eyes. He looked stricken.

Then she saw it, the Indominus, pale and massive, materializing out of the trees. She stepped on the accelerator but the van listed to the side, swaying dangerously. Panicked, she looked to the right again just as a huge blow sideswiped the back of the van. It careened sideways. The steering wheel jerked in her hands. Sansa clung to the wheel, desperate to keep the van from spinning out. By a stone-cold miracle, she managed to keep the it moving forward on the road.

From the corner of her eye, she could see the motorcycle's headlight, curving sharply behind the van. Gunshots rang out—faster and sharper than the rifle.

Sansa's arms ached. It was getting harder to keep the van straight with every passing moment. She was sweating from the effort, her hands slick on the steering wheel. Sweat dripped down her face. She didn't know how much longer the van could hold out.

There was a loud whistle and Sansa caught a flash of a raptor's tail from the van's headlights, then an unmistakable shriek.

Theon circled again, his hand outstretched, holding something dark—more gunshots, bright bursts in the darkness. The monster roared. It sounded like it was right on top of her.

Another blow hit the van, raising the back of it off the ground before it slammed down and tilted dangerously on its side. Sansa choked back a scream. Instinctively, she thrust her body to the right, willing the van to right itself. Then she watched, helpless, as her world pitched sideways.

 

* * *

 

 

 

 


	9. Nine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHHHH!! Finally got this chapter wrapped up. Writing is harder than hell! Sorry for any typos. I hope you enjoy!

 

* * *

 

 Gravity shifted sideways and, for a moment, Sansa was weightless. Then the ground rushed up to meet her driver's side window. The entire van shuddered on impact. Sansa's bones rattled. The driver's side window shattered with a brittle pop and the van skidded on its side across the ground.

Somehow, clinging to the steering wheel, Sansa managed to keep her arms and face far enough away from the window. Dirt and glass shot up into the air, peppering her face and arms. Finally, the van stopped sliding.

Sansa gasped in pain. It felt like every part her body had been punched. She blinked and took a shaky breath, attempting to get her bearings. The seatbelt held her sideways, propping her up like a puppet on a string. There was glass everywhere. The windshield was cracked in front of her. And her neck felt like her head weighed a thousand pounds.

She heard the whine of a motorcycle. More gunfire.

With a trembling hand, she unhooked her seatbelt and fell against the door. She groaned and sat up gingerly. Her head felt foggy. Above her, the moon shone down through the passenger side window. There was a shriek outside, a light thud of footsteps flitting by.

A shadow moved above her, blotting out the moon. Sansa peered up slowly. A bright blue eye stared down at her. Then a flash of claws and the door was ripped right off its hinges.

Sansa scrambled to the back of the van, pressing herself against the backdoors.

The van shook. There was a crumpling noise and the metal above her buckled. Sansa clamped her hands over her mouth. The van shuddered, rocking violently. A grinding sound. She realized the van was moving—being pushed around.

_Why?_

Sansa stared through the windshield.

“Oh my God,” she gasped.

It was pushing her toward the cliff.

There was another volley of gunfire. The van stopped—a piercing whistle then a chorus of shrieks.

Sansa's brain kickstarted. She groped around wildly in the dark. Her hands wrapped around a metal pole, fingers running over it. There were two small metal rods, like a prong, on the top. Sansa let out a breath, a tiny moment of relief. An electric prod. She found the switch on the side of the pole. A jagged, blinding spark crackled in the darkness.

The van jerked again, continuing the slow slide toward the cliff which was now only a dozen yards away.

Did the scientists design _vindictiveness_ into this thing's DNA??

The terrible lurching continued. A horrible realization occurred to her. If she stayed in the van, she would be pushed off the cliff. If she made a run for it, that creature would tear her apart. There would be a moment where she might have to choose how to die.

Tears burned her eyes. Her arms slumped, the electric prod hanging limply in her hands. Distantly, she could hear gunfire again—the sharp roars of the raptors.

No. Theon was fighting for her life. So were his raptors. She couldn't think like that. There was still a chance she could survive this.

She gripped the electric prod and clambered to the back of the van, struggling to keep her balance as the van swayed and groaned. She ran her hands over the backdoors and found the latch. She glanced through the windshield again, the van was almost to the cliff's edge, just a few yards away.

Maybe there was a section of the cliff that wasn't a sheer drop. Maybe it sloped a little or had a small ledge, something to hang onto where the Indominus couldn't reach her. It wasn't the best option but it was the only one she could think of. She would have to be ready.

She swallowed hard, gripping the electric prod and yanked on the latch to the door. The bottom door swung open and fell to the ground. Sansa peered around the door. The cliff was only a dozen feet away. Her stomach flipped.

Massive claws shot into the back of the van. Sansa smacked it with the electric prod. A blinding flash and the claws were gone, followed by an angry bellow. There was a loud bang above her. The van rocked. There was raptor's shriek, then another one close by, sounds of a tussle just outside the van.

Sansa crawled underneath the door and outside of the van, moving as fast as she could toward the cliff.

Behind her—vicious growling. Before she could stop herself, she peered behind her. All three raptors were on the Indominus, biting and slashing. The Indominus threw off two of the raptors. They landed in a clump of tall grass. Sansa's heart clenched. She hoped they were okay.

Ghost hung on, clawing at the Indominus viciously but even with Ghost on the Indominus's back, the creature managed to meet Sansa's eyes.

_Shit_.

Sansa scrambled to the cliff's edge and looked down. Her stomach plummeted. It was a sheer drop. Frantically, she crawled along further. There. Up ahead. It was hard to tell in the darkness but it looked like several roots stuck out from below the ledge.

She moved quickly. There was another shriek behind her then the sound of a motorcycle. She glanced over her shoulder. Ghost was still clinging to the Indominus. Heading straight for them was Theon. The Indominus grabbed Ghost by her tail and hurled her at him. Theon swerved as Ghost sailed past him but his motorcycle slipped out from underneath him. It slid several feet with him trapped underneath it.

The Indominus turned its head and faced Sansa. It dropped on all fours and slunk toward her. Sansa got up on her knees and held up the electric prod. Her skirt was ripped. Bits of rock dug into her knees.

She scooted back closer to where she saw the roots. Her heart pounded in her ears. She would have to be quick. _And lucky._

It crept toward her, close enough that she could smell the decay from where she knelt. In the moonlight, the garish shadows on its face made it look like it was smiling at her. She squeezed the electric prod.

“Come on,” she whispered.

It lunged, head first. Sansa thrust the electric prod right down its mouth. The inside of its jaws lit up like a Christmas tree. The Indominus shrieked and pulled away. It shook its head, pawing at its mouth. Sansa caught a waft of burnt meat. The Indominus groaned one more time then froze and stared right at her.

Sansa's breath faltered.

Then, without warning, the Indominus whipped its tail and slapped the electric prod out of her hands. It sailed over the cliff. Sansa's heart dropped.

The Indominus edged closer to her—only a few of feet away. Slowly, it arched its back and growled once, deep in its throat, its jaws quivering.

Sansa couldn't breathe. The only sound was the crashing waves hundreds of feet below.

A surge of rapid-fire gunshots burst through silence. The Indominus whirled. Theon was crouched on one knee, aiming his gun right at it. Another sharp round of gunshots—bright pops of light—then the dull clicking of an empty magazine. He threw it on the ground and unslung his rifle, bringing the scope to his eye.

The Indominus roared at him and crouched down low.

Sansa flattened to the ground and scooted back. Her hands dug into the earth—fingers wrapping around long, thin strands of grass. Her feet met dead air and it took everything she had not to scream. She forced herself to keep moving, clinging to the flimsy grass as her legs swung down, dangling over the ledge.

Her movements must have caught the Indominus's attention. It turned to face her again. It leaned closer to her—teeth bared. Then BANG. The Indominus's eye burst like a grape. It reared in agony.

Another shot rang out. The side of its lower jaw shattered. It staggered, thrashing wildly, lumbering toward the ledge— _right_ where Sansa was hanging.

She hugged the ground, eyes squeezed tight. Her toes clambered along the cliff face, seeking some kind of leverage.

The Indominus stumbled over her, somehow missing her entirely. Sansa gasped breathlessly.

Then the Indominus lurched sideways, right to the edge of the cliff and teetered there, just a feet where Sansa's legs dangled. Its tail whipped around in a full arc and smacked Sansa in the shoulder. The force of it shoved her backward. The grass she clung to ripped from the ground and she and the Indominus fell.

_This is it_ , she thought. Her mind slowed down, her arms though, did not. Her body moved instinctively, hands grasping and flailing. Miraculously, she managed to grab one of the roots sticking out from the cliff face, her fall interrupted. Perfect timing or lucky happenstance, she honestly didn't know. The day seemed to packed full of spectacular bad luck followed by spectacular good luck. Or maybe it was the other way around.

She hung there by one arm, watching the Indominus fall then crumple on a large jagged rock before it slid into the crashing waves. The Indominus was dead and she was alive. It seemed impossible. Then her eyes focused on her dirty sneakers, swaying in the air and then down to the thundering ocean below her. Her stomach did a slow, queasy flip. Her arm was beginning to ache.

Forcing down her panic, she peered upward and saw another jutting root. She reached for it. It took several attempts but she finally grabbed it. Instinctively, her feet kicked at the cliff face, trying to find something to stand on. She did. Just a little bit of rock jutting out from the cliff but enough for her toes to stand on, taking some of the strain off her arms.

“Theon,” she croaked. She meant to yell his name. Instead, it came out as a pathetic whimper.

A raptor's head popped out over the ledge. Sansa jerked in surprise. Ghost stared down at her, head quirked to one side. She chirped softly. Another raptor appeared then another, all staring down at her, their heads angling from side to side like a terrifying flock of birds. Ghost raised her head and let out a series of barks—rapid and sharp.

Theon's head darted over the ledge, breathless and panicked.

“Sansa! Oh, thank fuck!”

She smiled up at him, tears stinging her eyes. Staring up at his dirty face—she had never seen anything so beautiful in her life.

He threw himself on his belly and leaned over the ledge, reaching for her hand. She grabbed it and he pulled her up by her hands, then arms, then shoulders until finally, grasping her waist, he heaved her over the ledge. She fell on top of him, her face inches from his.

He stared up at her, brushing her hair out of her face. “I thought—God, I thought...” His voice broke and he pulled her into him, hugging her tight, his face buried in her hair. She nestled into his neck. Her lips trembled against his warm skin.

They stayed like that for a few moments until he mumbled something in her ear. She pulled away and stared down at him.

“What?” she breathed.

He gazed into her eyes, his fingers tracing the line of her throat. He murmured, “Sansa, I...” His eyes flickered down to her mouth.

She leaned down before he could finish and kissed him hard. Not even a kiss really, just a firm press of her lips on his.

She pulled back and stared down at him. “Thank you,” she whispered.

Theon blinked then groaned, sliding his hands up the sides of her back. “You're so _fucking_ welcome.” He raised his head and captured her lips with his. This kiss was much softer than the one she gave him—gentle and languid. He relaxed underneath her, his arms and legs spreading, cradling her in a warm, protective cocoon.

She sighed against his lips, deepening the kiss. There was a strange, huffing sound near her head. Something hard pressed into her hair, rubbing against her skull—the quick, warm snuffling, like a dog.

She froze. “Wha—”

Sansa turned her head minutely and gasped. One of the raptors, the darker one, was nuzzling her.

“Are they...are they going to eat me?” she said in a small voice.

Theon chuckled softly. “No, they're not going to eat you.” He kissed her lightly. “If they were going to do that, they would've done it by now.”

Sansa stared down at him. “Oh, well, that's comforting.”

He gathered her in his arms and sat up. Slowly, they got to their feet with Sansa glancing wearily at the raptors. They watched her curiously, tails flicking, chirping at her softly.

“They like you,” he said.

“Why?”

He looked thoughtful for a moment. “I think it's because you acted like a pack member back at the compound. You protected them. You protected me.” He smiled shyly. “And maybe they know I...”

Sansa smiled back. “Maybe they know _you_ what?”

“Maybe they know how important you are...” He caught her hand, threading his fingers through hers. “To me.”

Her smile widened. “Oh, really? To you?”

“Yes, that _this...”_ He glanced down at their joined hands. “...is a big deal.”

Sansa's heart flipped for the fiftieth time that day. “It is for me too,” she said quietly.

He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it.

They were alive—a few minutes ago, it didn't seem likely. Sansa wasn't sure what to feel, her body felt exhausted and bruised, but she also felt light too.

“Come on,” he said, nodding his head.

They walked back to his fallen motorcycle while the raptors followed, weaving around them like a pack of herding dogs.

Once they reached the motorcycle, Theon heaved it back up on its two wheels.

Sansa watched him as he checked over the motorcycle. “Where are your guns?”

He hopped on the motorcycle. “Dropped them when you fell over the cliff.” He shrugged. “I'm out of ammo anyway.” He gave her a look, his eyes serious. “Please don't ever do that again.”

“Do what? Fall over a cliff?”

His eyes looked pained. “Yes.”

She smiled at him. “I don't plan to.”

“By the way, _I_ should be the thanking you. I don't know how many times you saved my ass today.”

“More times than I can count, I'd say.” Sansa's smile turned into a grin. “You owe me, Greyjoy.”

“I'll do whatever you want, Sansa,” he said gravely, though his eyes crinkled around the corners.

He started the motorcycle then he took Sansa's hand and helped her climb onto the bike behind him. Then he reached back to grab her other hand, wrapping her arms around his torso and placing both her hands over his belly. He was warm and firm all over.

Sansa's stomach did a slow, heavy flip. She tried not to think about how strong his back felt against her chest and how tightly pressed the inside of her thighs were against his legs.

“Hold tight,” he whispered, rubbing his thumb over the back of her fingers.

When they got back onto the main road, Sansa looked behind her. From the distance, she could see the van, tipped over on its side, and a few feet from there, the ledge of the cliff. She could still feel the ache in her limbs, a tenderness in her neck. _The terror._

She turned her attention back to the road and took a deep breath, burying her nose into Theon's shoulder. He smelled like he usually did, comforting and safe. She hugged him tighter.

Maybe it was the sorry state of her love life but holding onto Theon as they sped down the dirt road underneath the light of the moon and stars while his raptors raced along side them—Sansa was sure she had never experienced a more romantic moment in her life.

 

* * *

 


	10. Ten

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHHHHHHH!!! The last chapter is always the hardest for me to write but I did it!! And writing action made it even more challenging but I learned a lot which is really cool. Thank you to everyone who commented, kudo'd and/or just took time out of their lives to read this story! Hope you enjoy :)

 

* * *

 

The motorcycle ride to the park had been relaxing now that the Indominus was gone but Sansa felt a heaviness too. Everything had changed—her life, Theon's life, some of the people who lost their lives or got hurt today and, of course, the animals who died. She watched as the raptors wove in and out of the path of the motorcycle, graceful and deadly. That was the one true silver lining. They, and all the other animals, would be free to live the way they were supposed to.

Sansa could see the glow of the park's bright lights just over the treetops. They would be at the gate soon and then Sansa would open the pens and that would be that. She took a deep breath and held Theon a little tighter. She slid her hand over his heart. It thudded against her palm—strong and steady.

A roar rose up from the park and Sansa stiffened. It took a moment for the logical side of her brain to catch up with the animal side—the Indominus was gone and this roar was _different_ , deeper and familiar. Sansa smiled against Theon's shoulder.

_Lady._

Another roar—announcing she was hungry and she hadn't been fed yet. Soon, Lady would have to fend for herself and Sansa suspected she would be just fine with that.

The raptors clicked their jaws, glancing around skittishly then, without warning, they bolted away into the surrounding trees. Sansa blinked. They were gone.

Theon glanced around and whistled.

“What happened?” Sansa asked, loud enough to be heard over the motorcycle engine. “Did they get scared?”

“Could be. The sound of another large predator,” he answered. “After their tussle with the Indominus, it makes sense they'd be more cautious.”

Sansa stared at his profile. He looked somber. “Should we go look for them?”

He shook his head. “No, they're free now.”

Sansa squinted into the trees as they drove on, hoping the raptors would rejoin them but they nowhere in sight.

They reached the security wall. It was deserted, which wasn't surprising. Sansa used her access codes to open the enormous shipping gate and, for the first time since the park opened, that gate would remain open.

They drove through the park slowly. Sansa stared at the empty streets and walkways—all the storefronts were open, the lights spilling out into the main street. Empty soda cups and dinosaur toys littered the ground. The sight was jarring. They parked in front of the Innovation Center and climbed off. Taking a deep breath, Sansa grasped Theon's hand and they entered the center.

Inside the center, the bright dinosaur displays flickered under the shadowy overhead lighting. Sansa led them down a dark hallway with a security door at the end of it. She punched in her access code and the door opened with a click. She walked in first and froze. The lab looked like a tornado whipped through it—papers and broken glass cluttered the hallway.

Sansa peeked into one of the lab rooms. No one was in there but the room was even more of a mess than the hallway.

“It looks ransacked,” Theon said, staring down at a centrifuge that lay broken on the floor.

Sansa's stomach twisted uneasily. “Let's get that thumbdrive and get the hell out of here.”

“Meera said it was in room five.”

They walked quickly to the room at the end of the hall. Theon went straight to the desk and crouched down next to it, running his hand under the tabletop. Sansa's eyes locked onto an image displayed on one of the large computer screens. It was a 3D image of the Indominus. Next to the image were the Indominus's specifications, all stamped over with a glowing, red _CLASSIFIED_.

Sansa swallowed hard. The Indominus was gone but the scientists who created it weren't.

Theon made a noise and she turned her attention to him. He smiled at her and raised his hand, grasping the thumbdrive.

He stood up. “Let's go.”

“You're not going anywhere,” said a voice.

Sansa jumped. Then Baelish sauntered into the room, followed by a heavily armed man—another mercenary. Theon pocketed the thumbdrive, his other hand reaching back to his shoulder for a rifle that wasn't there.

Baelish smiled. “I didn't think I'd be seeing you both so soon.”

A hot, fiery sensation spread through Sansa's chest, rising up through her neck then up to the top of her head. She clenched her jaw and glared at him.

“Oh, really,” she answered, surprised that her voice sounded so cool and steady. “Is that because you left us to die?”

Baelish almost looked contrite. “Oh, Sansa, I never wanted to hurt you.”

Sansa rolled her eyes so hard, she was sure she would've made her thirteen year old self proud. “Oh, do shut the fuck up, Baelish.”

His mouth dropped open with a half smile.

“You never wanted to hurt me? Please, stop. You're embarrassing yourself,” she snapped. “You pointed a gun at my head, okay. You were going to shoot me if you didn't get your way. Let's just stop pretending you're not a vile piece of shit!”

Baelish stared at her, stunned, but he didn't look angry. In fact, he looked the very opposite.

He shook his head slowly and let out a breath. “You are an incredible woman, Sansa. In another lifetime we would have made quite the pair, I think.” His eyes skimmed over her, not even trying to hide his admiration.

“There is not another lifetime or universe or _anything_ where I would've been dumb enough to be even remotely attached to you,” she sneered.

His smile widened. “Oh, I don't know about that.”

Sansa's arms tingled, the telltale sign of her fight or flight response kicking in. She squeezed her right hand into a fist and stepped toward Baelish.

Theon gently grasped her arm, whispering, “Sansa...”

She let him pull her back, maneuvering her to stand behind him.

Baelish's eyes narrowed. His mouth tightened. “Oh, I see...” he said slowly.

“How is this going to end, Baelish?” Theon asked.

Baelish raised his eyebrows. “Well, first, you're going to hand me whatever you just put in your pocket,” he said. “Then, you're going to tell me about your raptors. Are they still in their pen? Are any alive?”

Theon's shoulders stiffened but he stayed silent.

“Fine,” Baelish said softly. “I can find them with their trackers. Those animals will—”

Theon moved so fast, Sansa almost missed it. His fist struck Bealish hard in the face. Baelish staggered backwards and almost fell. The mercenary drew his gun and pointed it at Theon.

Theon started forward but Sansa grabbed the back of his shirt. He was breathing hard, looking murderous.

“You're right, Sansa,” he said, staring down at Baelish. “It does feel good.”

Baelish straightened up slowly. He dabbed his lip with his thumb and glanced down at it, his expression cold.

“You always had a temper, Greyjoy,” he said with a half-smile. “I always knew it would get the better of you.”

“Like Sansa said, you should probably shut the fuck up,” Theon ground out.

The atmosphere seemed to shift—tension rising. Sansa eyes darted around uneasily. Next to her, on a table, sat a large glass beaker. She stared at it.

Baelish drew his gun, holding it lightly in his hand. “Hand over what's in your pocket,” he said.

“What about Sansa?” Theon asked. “Will you let her go?”

“ _What?_ ” she hissed.

Baelish's smile widened. “I would've never thought of you as the noble type, Greyjoy.”

“Stop playing your stupid games, Baelish, and answer the damn question!” Theon snapped.

Baelish was silent—considering—his expression shrewd as always. “It depends,” he said carefully.

Sansa eyed the glass beaker again. Then she heard a noise—a faint, huffing sound. Recognizable. Then three soft taps. Her skin tingled. Theon tensed, his head quirking just slightly to the side.

Sansa's hand crept toward the beaker, her eyes glued to the open doorway. Then she saw it—a raptor foot, silently stepping into view, the talon rising slowly before striking the white linoleum floor. One tap.

Baelish's head turned toward the doorway but from his angle he couldn't see anything.

Next to him, the mercenary raised his gun toward the door.

Sansa reached for the beaker, her fingers wrapping around it slowly.

Then Ghost swept through the doorway. Theon lunged, smacking Baelish's gun out of his hand. At the same time, Sansa threw the beaker. It was meant for Baelish but it hit the mercenary on the side of the head instead, smashing into pieces. He stumbled back. Blood ran down his face.

Ghost crouched as the other two raptors burst into the room, their heads bobbing wickedly. They stared at Baelish and the other man.

Theon reached behind himself, wrapping his arms around Sansa and backing them up slowly.

Baelish held up his hands, his face panicked stricken. “Call them off,” he ordered. “Call them off, Theon!”

The other mercenary tried to blink the blood out of his eyes. He swung his gun and pointed it at Ghost. The darker raptor pounced on him, jaws wrapping around his neck. Sansa squeezed her eyes shut. The man screamed and there was an awful gurgling sound then silence. Theon's arms tightened around her.

“Theon,” Baelish pleaded.

Sansa blinked her eyes open, careful to avoid the body in the corner of the room. The raptors surrounded Baelish, arms widening, claws contracting.

Baelish now had his hands in front of him. His eyes flickered to the gun on the ground. Ghost hissed.

Baelish licked his lips. “Please,” he said. His voice was shaking. “They'll listen to you.”

“I don't think they will,” Theon said.

Baelish looked really panicked now. “What?”

“Isn't it obvious by now,” Theon answered. “I'm not the alpha anymore. I don't think I ever was.”

“I...I don't understand.”

“You don't?” Theon said. “You made them—designed them to be this way.”

Baelish was visibly shaking now as the raptors inched closer, a soft growl rising from their throats.

“You wanted the raptors for their intelligence and their pack instincts. But it wasn't enough, was it? You tweaked something inside them—increased those features to the millionth degree,” Theon explained calmly. “And you got what you wanted. They're different now. They're _more_. They understand concepts that are so _clearly_ foreign to you. Loyalty. Respect.” He paused. “Love.”

Baelish paled.

“And right now, they see you as a threat to them and me.” Theon's head tilted to Sansa behind him. “To _us_. And I'm sorry...” He shook his head. “But there is nothing I can do to change their minds.”

Baelish's eyes snapped to Sansa. “Please, Sansa,” he whispered.

She stared at him and stayed silent. Despite herself, she felt pity for him.

Theon turned toward the door. He wrapped his arm around Sansa's shoulder and led them out of the room. They were halfway down the hall when the screaming started. Sansa shuddered but kept walking, sliding her arm around Theon's waist and squeezing it tight.

Several seconds later, the screaming stopped. Sansa turned to look behind them. The raptors filed out of the doorway and into the hall, trailing behind them and looking very pleased with themselves. Theon glanced back and whistled softly. They answered him with a round of flittering chirps.

The raptors had just killed two men and Sansa and Theon had helped. Her stomach churned unpleasantly. There would be a time to process and there would be a time for guilt but, the fact of the matter was, she and Theon were alive, and the man who threatened to kill them wasn't. And maybe that was the point Mother Nature was trying to make. It was survival, plain and simple.

Sansa smiled as she listened to the soft chittering of the raptors behind her.

Maybe it was more than just survival though. Maybe Theon was right. Maybe it really was about love and loyalty too.

 

* * *

 

The raptors raced beside them as they rode up into the hills, their legs moving in a blur, their scaly skin gleaming under the soft moonlight, sleek and beautiful. The darker raptor seemed to take a liking to Sansa, staying close to her right, watching her carefully with her glowing, amber eye.

Out of the trees, the flat-top building of the Control Room came into view. Theon drove all the way up to the building's helicopter pad. He parked the motorcycle and Sansa climbed off. She was almost to the metal gangplank that led to the helicopter pad when she heard a soft, low whistle. She stopped and turned to see Theon walking toward the raptors with his hand raised. Ghost drifted toward him, chirping softly then she rubbed her nose into his palm. He smiled and dragged his hand down her neck, scratching her shoulder. She purred loudly. The other two raptors joined Ghost, surrounding him, rubbing their noses against his head and neck, rumbling in that pleased way of theirs. He laughed softly but there was hitch to it.

Sansa's chest tightened when she realized what was happening. They were saying goodbye.

She stepped closer to them, watching closely. Theon was murmuring to them, words of praise, his voice soft but broken. Sansa swallowed hard. The darker raptor turned her head and stared at Sansa, then the raptor walked right up to her, brushing her snout against Sansa's ear, snuffling softly, warm breath ruffling her hair. Sansa stiffened then relaxed. Tentatively, Sansa reached out, gently petting the raptor on the neck. Her skin was warm and bumpy and the raptor rumbled happily.

“What's her name?” Sansa asked.

Theon glanced at her, smiling. “Shaggy.”

“Shaggy,” Sansa repeated slowly. “Oh, you pretty girl, I'm so sorry Theon gave you such a dumb name.”

Theon laughed—a surprised sound.

Shaggy leaned into Sansa, purring quietly as Sansa scratched her jaw. “You will no longer be called Shaggy,” Sansa announced. “From this day hence, you shall be called Queen of the North.” She shrugged. “Or Sansa Jr., whichever you prefer.”

The raptor huffed, rubbing her nose against Sansa's head one more time before stepping away to join her sisters.

Slowly, the raptors backed away, staring at Theon and Sansa, chittering softly. The raptor who's name Sansa didn't know left first, melting into the darkness of the trees. The darker raptor nodded her head and chirped once, then dashed into the jungle. That left Ghost, who gazed at Theon with her golden eyes.

She quirked her head and barked.

“Thank you,” Theon said softly. “For everything.”

He whistled low and steady.

Ghost seemed to hesitate, then slowly, she turned and ambled into the jungle.

Theon stood there, staring after them. Sansa couldn't see his face but she could see his shoulders shaking. She walked over to him and threaded her fingers through his, waiting.

He took a shaky breath and turned to her. “I'm ready.”

They made their way onto the helicopter pad toward a door that jutted out from the roof—all the while glancing back behind them into the trees.

 

* * *

 

Sansa was relieved that Jeyne had kept her promise. The Control Room was empty. The park map flickered bright on the large, main screen. She phoned Jeyne who was waiting for her call on an airbase in Costa Rica. Jeyne—bless her—had a helicopter ready to pick her and Theon up in a few hours time.

Sansa hung up the phone and glanced at Theon, who was staring up at the park, his expression tense. She wanted to reach for him, hug him, but she sensed he needed space instead. She tapped on one of the control panels and dozens of blinking dots sprang up on the map.

“Those dots are all the animals on the island,” Sansa said quietly. Near the Control Room's building, three little dots lingered close by. Theon inhaled sharply, his eyes glued to the three, blinking dots.

She cleared her throat. “I'll grab us something to drink.” She made her way to the elevator, leaving Theon gazing up at the map.

Miraculously, there were still a half a dozen donuts left in the break room. Her stomach growled as her eyes took in the assortment of chocolate sprinkles and maple bars like they were the rarest of delicacies. She grabbed the box and several bottles of water and made her way back to the Control Room.

“I bring gifts,” Sansa announced as the elevator doors opened.

Theon swiveled in the chair he was sitting in and smiled. He raised his eyebrows. “Donuts?”

Sansa nodded and dropped the box on the table in front of him. She handed him a bottle of water and sat down next to him, swiveling her own chair to tangle her legs with his. His smile widened as she brushed her foot along his calf.

She glanced up at the park map. The three little dots had moved farther away from the building but still lingered.

“How do you think we should do this?” she asked.

“What?”

“Release the dinosaurs,” she said. “I was thinking about opening up Lady's paddock first.”

“Lady?” Theon eyebrows furrowed. “Oh, the T-Rex.”

Sansa nodded. “I was thinking she would walk out into the park right away. Go exploring as soon as she could. We could do the electric fences next. Then we open up the baby dinosaurs corral last. They may take time to leave their pens.”

“That sounds about right. Lady would push the predators away from the center of the park. And the baby dinosaurs will have a better chance surviving.”

Sansa stared up at the map. Those three dots were still close to the building. Soon all the animals would be released, including all the big predators. Sansa took a deep breath. The raptors would be fine. They would be _more_ than fine. Out of all the animals on the island, they were most likely to thrive.

Sansa and Theon took their time as they ate donuts, then Sansa typed in her access code and opened Lady's paddock. Sansa was right. Lady left as soon as the massive doors to her pen opened. They watched the aging T-Rex on the security cams, wandering around main street, taking in her surroundings. Sansa smiled. Soon, Lady was stomping into the jungle, roaring loudly and spooking waves of birds into flight from the treetops.

As Lady made her way into the jungle, the three little dots started migrating east. Sansa glanced at Theon. His hands gripped the armrests of his chair as he stared up at the map. Sansa got up from her seat and sat on his lap. He startled a little but he wrapped his arms around her, his eyes glistening.

She brushed his hair away from his forehead. “They'll be happy.”

He gave her a sad smile. “I know.”

“I wish...” His hands squeezed her waist. “I wish it wasn't just the three of them.”

She kissed him on the forehead. “Me too.”

She smiled down at him and ran her fingers down his cheek, brushing a thumb along his earlobe. Then she lowered her head and kissed him lightly—a soft graze of her lips. She pulled away and he gazed up at her. His eyes were so soft it took her breath away.

She got up and went back to her monitor and—slowly, methodically—they released all the dinosaurs. Sansa held her breath as she stared at the last baby triceratops on the webcam, toddling out of its pen and trailing after its pen-mates into the woods.

They were done, now there was nothing more to do but wait for their transport. Sansa checked the time, it could be awhile. She turned to Theon, who looked dead tired. She felt the same suddenly—her muscles heavy and achy, her mind fuzzy. A few minutes later, Sansa was slouched down in her chair and fast asleep.

The sharp sound of a phone ringing woke her up. It was the pilot of their helicopter letting her know they would touchdown in 10 minutes. She hung up the phone, still feeling exhausted and looked over at Theon who was slowly waking up.

“The helicopter?” he asked, rubbing his eyes.

She nodded and stood up, wincing as she did so. Her body felt like it had been thrown down a flight of stairs.

There was a soft touch on her arm. Theon stood next to her, his hand lingering inside the crook of her elbow, his thumb rubbing soothing circles against her skin. “Sore?” Theon asked.

Sansa leaned into his touch. “Yeah.”

“Me too,” he said. “Should we head up to the helicopter pad?”

“I have a couple more things I need to do first,” Sansa said.

She gazed up at the map. The little dots of all the dinosaurs blinked back, many in parts of the island that were closed off to them before.

Taking a deep breath, she entered her access code one more time.

“I'm wiping the system,” she said. She turned her head and met Theon's eyes. “It'll make it difficult for anyone to track the animals.”

“You'd think they'd come back for them?” Theon asked.

“Yes. Definitely. They'll try again. But without a way to track them, some animals—mainly your raptors—will be impossible to find.” She gazed up at the map again, her eyes drifting toward the east side of the island. She smiled as she saw three little dots hovering around the raptor compound.

She could hear Theon breathing softly next to her. “Good,” he said.

A couple minutes later, Sansa had successfully wiped the system. The giant map flickered off and only the tiny lights lining the walls illuminated the darkness. Sansa reached for Theon's hand and led him to the elevator.

“Just one more thing I need to do,” she said, as they entered the elevator.

She led them down to her office, her heart thudding heavily in her chest. She let go of Theon's hand and headed straight for her desk, rifling through her drawers to find a couple of photos—one with her and her team and another with her grinning as she held a baby triceratops. She blinked a few times and slipped the photos in her skirt pocket.

She took one last look at her office, committing all the little details to memory: her sad jade plant, her beautiful glass desk, the lovely view of the dark jungle swaying lazily underneath a brightening sky.

Then, with a deep breath, she went over and grabbed her jade plant. It was heavy and droopy but she hitched it up hip and carried it back to the elevator. Theon trailed next to her, his presence soothing.

The moment they entered the elevator Theon took the jade plant from her. Sansa almost protested but Theon smiled softly at her and her heart melted.

She brushed her fingertips against trunk of the plant. “It's not looking so good,” she said. “I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong.”

Theon shifted the pot and brought a hand up to the plant, squeezing one of the fat leaves. “You're watering it too much. See how it's wilting a little?”

Sansa made a soft noise. “I thought it was wilting because it was thirsty.”

“No, it just needs to dry out a little. Wait until the leaves shrink a bit then water.”

She bumped her hip against his. “You can train dangerous animals and you know how to take care of plants. What can't you do, Theon Greyjoy?”

Theon laughed softly. “I also make excellent enchiladas.”

“Enchiladas too?” She wrapped an arm around his waist. “I might have to keep you around.”

“That's probably for the best,” he said, smiling widely. “For your plant's sake, of course.”

“And access to your enchiladas.”

He leaned down and kissed the corner of her mouth. “That goes without saying.”

They stared into each others eyes until the elevator doors opened. Sansa tightened her arm around him as they walked up to the door to the helicopter pad. They gazed out the narrow window of the door, waiting for helicopter to come in sight.

They heard helicopter before they saw it. When it finally touched down, they were through the door quickly—their hair whipping around their faces as they hurried toward it. A National Guardsman grabbed Sansa's hand and hauled her up first, guiding her to a window seat and strapping her in. Theon pressed in next to her, her plant cradled carefully in his arms.

She jerked when the helicopter lifted up, swaying in that unsettling way, but she forgot all about the swooping sensation when the helicopter was high enough to see the expanse of the park, now golden underneath the rising sunlight. They weren't too high though. Sansa could see a herd of triceratops grazing alongside the park wall. She grinned when she saw several small triceratops calves in the middle of the group.

The helicopter drifted across the island, over the sprawling valleys. A flock of gallimimus darted across the fields, moving and twisting in perfect unison. Several groups of stegosauruses and brontosauruses loitered around a small, glittering lake.

The helicopter sped east toward the old raptor compound. Theon pressed up against her, peering around her shoulder for a better look. They both squinted down into the jungle but Sansa couldn't see anything except for treetops and the jungle floor. Her heart sank a little. She knew seeing the raptors was unlikely.

Suddenly, like a flash, she saw movement—something fast. Sansa held her breath. There was a dark, fleeting tail. Theon made a sound next to her. Her eyes strained, hoping for another glimpse. Then, in a perfect moment, a streak of white. Sansa gasped a laugh. Theon did the same.

Seconds later, the island was gone and there was only the wide expanse of the sea but Sansa didn't notice. She leaned back into her seat, unsure of how she felt in that moment. There was a heaviness knowing she just left a life she loved, but relief she was alive after such a harrowing experience.

And there was gratitude too—gratitude she had experienced such incredible things, gratitude that the people in her life were safe and gratitude she had seen the raptors one last time. There was another feeling too. She looked at Theon who was smiling at her softly, looking exactly how she felt. She slid her hand into his.

It was hope—hope for a promising beginning to a new life.

 

* * *

 

**Author's Note:**

> This is unbeta'd so there may be some typos (though I did reread many times). Thank you for taking time to read this!


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